Dusty plasmas: from Saturn’s rings to semiconductor processing devices

Abstract

Dusty plasmas are plasmas containing solid particles in the size range of about 10 nm-10 μm. The particles acquire an electrical charge by collecting electrons and ions from the plasma, or by photo-electron emission if they are exposed to UV radiation. The charged dust particles interact with the electrons and ions, forming a multi-component plasma. Dusty plasmas occur in a number of natural environments, including planetary rings, comet tails, and solar nebulae; as well as in technological devices used to manufacture semiconductor chips, and in magnetic fusion devices. This article focuses on the physics underlying dusty plasmas, which are studied by plasma physicists, aeronomists, space physicists, and astrophysicists. The article begins with an introduction explaining what we mean by a dusty plasma, where they are found, and a summary of their basic properties. The article then presents the fundamental physics of dust charging, forces on dust particles, a description of devices used to produce dusty plasmas, strongly coupled dusty plasmas, collective phenomenon (waves) in dusty plasmas, magnetized dusty plasmas, and the emerging technologies based on dusty plasmas. It concludes with a few perspective comments on how the field has developed historically and the prospects for future advances.

Deposition of triazine-based graphitic carbon nitrideviaplasma-induced polymerisation of melamine

“…Due to the high chamber pressure, and thus short mean free path length, oligomer formation might take place already in the gas phase, leading to a so-called dusty plasma. 88 These structures then merely recombine with the already deposited material on the substrate, which results in the formation of TGCN flakes that constitute the sponge-like morphology of the sample.…”

Oblique electrostatic waves in a dusty plasma with (r; q) distributed electrons for Saturn’s magnetosphere

“…To observe the in ‡uence of various parameters, we take into account dusty plasma parameters of the Saturn's magnetosphere [33,31,32], with magnetic …eld B 0 = 0:04G, temperature of electrons k B T e = (10 100)eV , density of electrons n e0 = (1 4) 10 2 cm 3 and dust grains charge and density as z d = 100 and n d0 = (0:1 10)cm 3 , respectively. The quasi neutrality condition gives the value of ion density as n i0 = n e0 + z d n d0 .…”

“…The main subject of research of Cassini mission has been the study of Saturn's magnetosphere since 2004 which has provided deep insights about Saturn's inner atmosphere and space around it. The Saturn's magnetosphere is …lled with dusty plasmas due to the planet as well as its moon, where the major contribution of plasma comes from its small moon Enceladus [32]. The Saturns rings are speci…cally important examples of dusty plasma since they are electron depleted regions due to the charging of dust grains by the background electrons [2].…”

Radiative transfer simulations for in-situ particle size diagnostic in reactive, particle growing plasmas

“…above the wafer (Selwyn et al 1989). Since then the investigation of nanoparticle producing plasmas is part of dusty plasma physics and its technological application (Bouchoule 1999, Hollenstein 2000, Watanabe 2006, Kortshagen 2016, Merlino 2021.…”