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arXiv · 1911.05622

Expansion Dynamics of Cold Non-Neutral Plasma

Michael A. Viray·Stephanie A. Miller·Georg Raithel
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Abstract

We study the expansion of a strongly coupled, non-neutral, and cylindrically arranged ion plasma into the vacuum. The plasma is made from cold rubidium atoms in a magneto-optical trap (MOT) and is formed via ultraviolet photoionization. Higher-density and lower-density plasmas are studied to exhibit different aspects indicative of strong coupling. In a higher-density regime, we report on the formation and persistence of plasma shock fronts, as well as external-field-induced plasma focusing effects. In the lower-density regime, conditions are ideal to observe the development and evolution of nearest-neighbor ion correlations, as well as geometry-induced asymmetries in the pair correlation function. Simulated results from a trajectory model and a fluid model are in good agreement with the measurements.

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Michael A. Viray, Stephanie A. Miller, Georg Raithel. 2019-11-13. Expansion Dynamics of Cold Non-Neutral Plasma. https://doi.org/10.1103/physreva.102.033303

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