Dynamical states in two-dimensional charged dust particle clusters in plasma medium

Abstract

The formation of dynamical states for a collection of dust particles in two dimensions is shown using molecular dynamics simulations. The charged dust particles interact with each other with a Yukawa pair potential mimicking the screening due to plasma. An external radial confining force has also been applied to the dust particles to keep them radially confined. When the particle number is low (say, a few), they get arranged on the radial locations corresponding to multiple rings or shells. For specific numbers, such an arrangement of particles is stationary. However, for several cases, the cluster of dust particles relaxes to a state for which the dust particles on rings display intershell rotation. For a larger number of dust particles (a few hundred, for instance), an equilibrium state with a coherent rigid body displaying angular oscillation of the entire cluster is observed. A detailed characterization of the formation of these states in terms of particle number, coupling parameter, etc., is provided.