Temporally resolved size measurement of MF-particles in an rf-discharge

The particle size is an essential quantity in a dusty plasma. Any force acting on a particle scales at least linear with the particle size. Thus, confinement and especially binary mixtures critically depend on a precise knowledge of the particle size. However, the particle size is not a fixed quantity. Due to plasma surface interaction the particle size is typically a function of time. The widely used MF-particles are known to shink due to plasma interaction. This poster presentation will introduce our latest developments to make high precision and temporally resolved measurements of particle size in-situ. Using Mie-theory, the particle size can be tracked with nanometer precision, the refractive index of the particles can be measured and first insight into plasma surface processes can be obtained. Special attention is paid on how to minimize ambiguities comparing experimental data and theory by means of an improved experimental setup.