Static and dynamic shear viscosity of a single-layer complex plasma

The static and dynamic (complex) shear viscosity of a single-layer dusty plasma is measured by applying, respectively, a stationary and a periodically modulated shear stress, induced by the light pressure of manipulating laser beams. Under static conditions we observe a decrease of the viscosity with increasing shear rate, the so-called shear-thinning behavior. Under oscillating shear both the magnitude and the ratio of the dissipative and elastic contributions to the complex viscosity show strong frequency dependence, as the system changes from viscous to elastic in nature with increasing excitation frequency. Accompanying molecular dynamics simulations explain and support the experimental observations.