Effect of trapped ions and nonequilibrium electron-energy distribution function on dust-particle charging in gas discharges

Shear viscosity in two-dimensional dipole systems

The results of modeling shear flows in classical two-dimensional (2D) dipole systems are presented. We used the method of nonequilibrium molecular dynamics to calculate the viscosity at various shear rates. The coefficients of shear viscosity are given in the limit of low shear rates for various regimes of interparticle correlation from a weakly correlated gaseous state to a strongly nonideal liquid state near the crystallization point. The calculations were carried out for bare (unscreened) dipole systems, as well as for dipole systems in a polarizable medium that provide screening of the dipole-dipole interaction. The effect of shear thinning in 2D dipole systems is reported for low values of the coupling parameter. In addition, it is shown that dipole systems can become both less and more viscous due to the presence of a screening medium, depending on the degree of interparticle correlation. The optimal simulation parameters are discussed within the framework of the method of nonequilibrium molecular dynamics for determining the shear viscosity of two-dimensional dipole systems. Moreover, we present a simple fitting curve which provides a universal scaling law for both bare dipole-dipole interaction and screened dipole-dipole interaction.

Plasma anisotropy around a dust particle placed in an external electric field

A self-consistent model of plasma polarization around an isolated micron-sized dust particle under the action of an external electric field is presented. It is shown that the quasineutral condition is fulfilled and the formed volume charge totally screens the dust particle. The ion focusing and wake formation behind the dust particle are demonstrated for different ion mean free paths and the external electric fields. It is obtained that at low values of the external electric field the trapped ions play the main role in the screening of the dust particle charge. For high external electric fields, the density of trapped ions decreases and the dust particle is screened mainly by the free ions.

Influence of dust-particle concentration on gas-discharge plasma

A self-consistent kinetic model of a low-pressure dc glow discharge with dust particles based on Boltzmann equation for the electron energy distribution function is presented. The ions and electrons production in ionizing processes as well as their recombination on the dust-particle surface and on the discharge tube wall were taken into account. The influence of dust-particle concentration N(d) on gas discharge and dust particles parameters was investigated. It is shown that the increase of N(d) leads to the increase of an averaged electric field and ion density, and to the decrease of a dust-particle charge and electron density in the dusty cloud. The results were obtained in a wide region of different discharge and dusty plasma parameters: dust particles density 10(2)-10(8) cm(-3), discharge current density 10(-1)-10(1) mA/cm(2), and dust particles radius 1, 2, and 5 microm. The scaling laws for dust-particle surface potential and electric filed dependencies on dust-particle density, particle radius and discharge currents were revealed. It is shown that the absorption of electrons and ions on the dust particles surface does not lead to the electron energy distribution function depletion due to a self-consistent adjustment of dust particles and discharge parameters.