Using Dust Grains to Measure Plasma Conditions with a Changing Number Density

Complex plasma systems are of much interest as they permit micron sized dust particles to form stable and unstable structures. These structures can be used as probes to gain insight into the parameters of the plasma system [1] . The dust particle interaction with the ions flowing towards a negative lower electrode creates an ion wake field, which is difficult to measure experimentally. This wake field affects the charge on the dust grains, as well as the electric field and ion flow speed. Using a one-dimensional,seven-particle dust chain confined in a glass box placed on the lower electrode of a Gaseous Electronics Conference rf cell, the ion wake field along with the dust charge and electric field inside the plasma environment can be investigated.