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Updated: Apr 21, 2026

Applying X-ray Imaging Crystal Spectroscopy for Use as a High Temperature Plasma Diagnostic
Published on: August 25, 2016
Observation of particle pairing in a two-dimensional plasma crystal
S K Zhdanov1, V Nosenko1, H M Thomas1
1Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics, D-85741 Garching, Germany.
Abstract:
The observation is presented of naturally occurring pairing of particles and their cooperative drift in a two-dimensional plasma crystal. A single layer of plastic microspheres was suspended in the plasma sheath of a capacitively coupled radio-frequency discharge in argon at a low pressure of 1 Pa. The particle dynamics were studied by combining the top-view and side-view imaging of the suspension. Cross-analysis of the particle trajectories allowed us to identify naturally occurring metastable pairs of particles. The lifetime of pairs was long enough for their reliable identification.
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