Dusty plasmas: synthesis, structure and dynamics of a dust cloud in a plasma

GREMI, Groupe de Recherches sur l'Énergétique des Milieux Ionisés, UMR 6606, CNRS/Université d'Orléans, 14 rue d'Issoudun, BP 6744, 45067 Orléans Cedex 2, France

Corresponding author: maxime.mikikian@univ-orleans.fr

Received: 21 June 2009
Accepted: 9 October 2009
Published online: 26 November 2009

Abstract

Plasmas are energetic media that can give birth to dust particles due to the presence of reactive gases or plasma-surface interactions. Industrial plasmas are often concerned by these dust particles that can be either unwanted or useful for the process. For fusion plasmas, production of dust particles from wall erosion is a serious issue for performance and safety reasons. In this article, some aspects of dusty plasmas with potential implications for plasma experimenters will be discussed. Convenient ways for detecting the presence or the growth of dust particles will be presented. The spatial distribution of the dust cloud during the plasma phase determines the subsequent dust particle deposition. It will be shown that some reactor regions can attract or repeal these dust particles. Finally, the dust particle dynamics after the plasma extinction will be investigated. A special attention will be paid on the residual electric charge that can stay attached on the dust particle surface and on its implications for dust particle control or deposition.