Plasma-powder interaction: trends in applications and diagnostics

The research effort in the area of dusty plasmas initially aimed at avoiding particle formation and controlling the contamination level in industrial reactors. Nowadays, dusty plasmas have grown into a vast field and new applications of plasma-processed dust particles are emerging. There is demand for particles with special properties, and for particle-seeded composite materials. Low-pressure plasmas offer a unique possibility of confinement, control and fine tailoring of particle properties. The interaction between plasma and injected micro-disperse powder particles can also be used as a diagnostic tool for the study of plasma surface processes. Examples for determining the electric field in front of electrodes and for determining the particle charge are given as well as for obtaining information on the energy fluxes in the plasma. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.