Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 26, 2026

Investigation of Early Plasma Evolution Induced by Ultrashort Laser Pulses
Published on: July 2, 2012
Observation of an ultracold plasma instability
X L Zhang1, R S Fletcher, S L Rolston
1Joint Quantum Institute, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, USA.
Abstract:
We present the first observation of an instability in an expanding ultracold plasma. We observe periodic emission of electrons from an ultracold plasma in weak, crossed magnetic and electric fields, and a strongly perturbed electron density distribution in electron time-of-flight projection images. We identify this instability as a high-frequency electron drift instability due to the coupling between the electron drift wave and electron cyclotron harmonic, which has large wave numbers corresponding to wavelengths close to the electron gyroradius.
Related Concept Videos
Nuclear Stability
To hold positively charged protons together in the...
Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectroscopy: Principle
The ions and electrons produced interact with the fluctuating magnetic field created by a water-cooled...
Inductively Coupled Plasma–Mass Spectrometry (ICP–MS): Overview
Phase Transitions: Vaporization and Condensation

