Analysis of Torsion Mediated Plasma Crystal Energy Transfer

Torsions are active inclusions in two-dimensional complex plasma crystals. They consist of two dust particles vertically outside the plane of the crystal (typically one above and one below). These two particles exhibit a horizontal elliptical orbit within a force cage formed by the remaining crystal lattice when viewed from above, accompanied by vertical oscillations as each respective torsion particle approaches a cage particle. Torsion inclusions give researchers a means by which to examine the 2 ½ dimensional nature of plasma crystals resulting from ion wake-field interactions and the resultant energy transfer mechanisms. In this talk we demonstrate novel analysis techniques used to quantify the effect of torsion inclusions on the propagation of energy from vertical laser perturbation throughout the crystal. Experiments were performed in a Modified Gaseous Electronic Conference (GEC) rf reference cell utilizing a collimated Verdi laser for crystal perturbation.