A dusty plasma device for producing extended, steady state, magnetized, dusty plasma columns

Abstract

We describe a rotating-drum dust-dispersal device, which we have used, in conjunction with an existing Q machine, to produce extended, steady state, magnetized plasma columns. The dusty plasma device (DPD) is to be used for the investigation of waves in dusty plasmas and of other plasma/dust aspects. The device is capable of generating dusty plasmas in which as much as ∼90% of the negative charge is attached to dust grains of 1–10 μm size.