Simulating the dynamics of complex plasmas

TL;DR

This paper presents linked numerical simulations combining fluid and molecular dynamics models to accurately reproduce various collective phenomena observed in complex plasmas, enhancing understanding of their dynamics.

Contribution

The study introduces a novel integrated simulation approach that combines fluid modeling of plasma with molecular dynamics of microparticles, capturing complex plasma behaviors.

Findings

Reproduced void formation in complex plasmas

Simulated particle layering and separation

Modeled lane and vortex formations

Abstract

Complex plasmas are low-temperature plasmas that contain micrometer-size particles in addition to the neutral gas particles and the ions and electrons that make up the plasma. The microparticles interact strongly and display a wealth of collective effects. Here we report on linked numerical simulations that reproduce many of the experimental results of complex plasmas. We model a capacitively coupled plasma with a fluid code written for the commercial package comsol. The output of this model is used to calculate forces on microparticles. The microparticles are modeled using the molecular dynamics package lammps, which we extended to include the forces from the plasma. Using this method, we are able to reproduce void formation, the separation of particles of different sizes into layers, lane formation, vortex formation, and other effects.