Department of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Iowa
What are dusty plasmas?
Dusty plasmas are ionized gases containing small particles of solid matter.
Various terms are used by researchers to refer this form of matter:
- dusty plasmas
- complex plasmas
- plasma crystals
- fine particle plasmas
- colloidal plasmas
Dusty Plasmas is a research area that is growing rapidly
Growth of publications each year is shown in the chart below.
This is also a highly interdisciplinary area, combining plasma physics, condensed matter physics, semiconductor technology, astrophysics, and other areas as well.
Faculty members whose research includes dusty plasmas:
- Prof. Nick D'Angelo
- Prof. John A. Goree (see below)
- Prof.
Robert Merlino
Prof. Goree's research group in dusty plasmas:
Research topics include strongly-coupled behavior, crystal formation, melting/freezing phase transitions, phonon spectra, waves and instabilities, and particle synthesis. This work is mainly experimental, with some theory.
Our department hosted a workshop on dusty plasmas:
Department of Physics and Astronomy
For Prospective Graduate Students