INVESTIGATION OF THE DUST STRUCTURES IN A STRATIFIED NEON COLUMN

Dust plasma in a stratifi ed positive column of a stationary neon discharge has been investigated. To create stationary
strata, 5–7% of air was added to neon. The discharge current was 2–7 mA. The size of macroparticles from aluminum
oxide was varied over the range of 10–80 μm. The plasma diagnostics was carried out by the probe method.
The temperature and concentration of particles were determined by the volt-ampere characteristic. To investigate
the dust structures, optical measurements were made. From the temperature and density of charged particles, the
thickness of the volume charge layer surrounding the dust particle was determined and its value was compared with
the value obtained as a result of optical measurement data processing. The dependence of the volume charge layer
thickness on the dust particle potential has been calculated.
Dust plasma in a stratifi ed positive column of a stationary neon discharge has been investigated. To create stationary
strata, 5–7% of air was added to neon. The discharge current was 2–7 mA. The size of macroparticles from aluminum
oxide was varied over the range of 10–80 μm. The plasma diagnostics was carried out by the probe method.
The temperature and concentration of particles were determined by the volt-ampere characteristic. To investigate
the dust structures, optical measurements were made. From the temperature and density of charged particles, the
thickness of the volume charge layer surrounding the dust particle was determined and its value was compared with
the value obtained as a result of optical measurement data processing. The dependence of the volume charge layer
thickness on the dust particle potential has been calculated.
Author:  A. M. Astaf′ev, S. A. Gutsev, and N. B. Kosykh
Keywords:  low-pressure neon plasma, Langmuir probes, orbital motion, volt-ampere characteristic, electron temperature, particle number density, volume charge layer, dust structures
Page:  1554