Dust Clustering in Inductively Heated Plasma Jet

Here we investigate the interaction between micron-sized dust particles and a low-temperature

plasma jet produced in an inductively heated plasma generator IPG6-B, located at Baylor

University. In our experiments, 20-micron-diameter aluminum oxide spheres are introduced in

the plasma jet, and their dynamics are recorded with a high-speed camera. Particle tracking

techniques are used to decompose the dust motion into drift and diffusion components, allowing

for the assessment of individual forces acting on the dust grains. The observed plasma-dust

interactions are compared against experiments where the dust is introduced in a neutral gas jet to

determine the role of plasma-driven effects. Interestingly, we observe that at low gas volume

flows, the dust particles tend to form cluster structures when plasma is present, and this effect is

enhanced by increasing plasma power. This presentation will discuss the possible physical

mechanisms driving such clustering, including charging, adhesive forces, and plasma dynamics.