Dust particle charging in a stratified glow discharge considering nonlocal electron kinetics.

Dusty plasma has been studied in dc glow discharge with standing striation formed in neon. The theoretical method of dust particle charge determination is proposed. This method is based on the calculation of the ion and electron fluxes on the dust particle surface in a spatially periodic field of striation. The electron flux is calculated through the use of non-local electron energy distribution function (EEDF), which is formed by inhomogeneous strata potential. The calculation of dust particle charge using proposed theoretical method are compared with those in which the used EEDF was assumed to be Maxwell EEDF. Under the conditions of standing P-striations at low pressures of neon the numerical calculations and the measurements are performed. An experimental method of dust particle charge determination is applied in the dc discharge condition. Discharge current is modulated at low-frequency in order to determine the dust charge through the relaxation oscillation of a single dust particle. The calculation of the dust particle charge with the help of measured frequency and damping coefficient of the oscillations is made. The dust particle charges obtained by using two independent methods are in good agreement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]