Electron Screening Effects in a Strongly Coupled Ultracold Neutral Plasma

ORAL

Abstract

We study equilibration of strongly coupled ions in an ultracold neutral plasma produced by photo-ionizing laser-cooled and trapped atoms. By varying the electron temperature, we show that electron screening modifies the equilibrium ion temperature. Even with few electrons in a Debye sphere, the screening is well described by a model using Yukawa ion-ion potential. We also observe damped oscillations of the ion kinetic energy that are a unique feature of equilibration of strongly coupled plasma.

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Authors

  • C.E. Simien

  • Y.C. Chen

    • Institute of Atomic and Molecular Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
    • Instutute of Atomic \& Molecular Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
    • Institute of Atomic and Molecular Sciences, Academia Sinica
    • Institute of Atomic and Molecular Sciences Academia Sinica

  • S. Laha

    • Rice University

  • P. Gupta

  • Y.N. Martinez

    • Rice University

  • P.G. Mickelson

    • Rice University

  • S.B. Nagel

    • Rice University

  • T.C. Killian

    • Rice University