In this paper, we give a detailed description of a novel plasma chamber—the Zyflex chamber—that has been specifically designed for complex/dusty plasma research under reduced gravitational influence as realized during parabolic flight or aboard the International Space Station. The cylindrical, radio-frequency driven discharge device includes a variety of innovations that, for example, allow us to flexibly adjust plasma parameters and its volume via enhanced plasma generation control and a movable, multi-segmented electrode system. The new complex/dusty plasma research tool also supports, due to its overall increased size compared to former space based complex plasma experiments such as PKE-Nefedov or PK-3 Plus, much larger particle systems. Additionally, it can be operated at much lower neutral gas pressures, thus reducing the damping of particle motion considerably. Beyond the technical description and particle-in-cell simulation based characterization of the plasma vessel, we show sample results from experiments performed with this device in the laboratory as well as during parabolic flights, both of which clearly demonstrate the new quality of complex/dusty plasma research that becomes accessible with this new plasma device.

In complex plasmas, the behavior of freely floating micrometer sized particles is studied. The particles can be directly visualized and recorded by digital video cameras. To analyze the dynamics of single particles, reliable algorithms are required to accurately determine their positions to sub-pixel accuracy from the recorded images. Typically, a straightforward algorithm such as the moment method is used for this task. Here, we combine different variations of the moment method with common techniques for image pre- and post-processing (e.g., noise reduction and fitting), and we investigate the impact of the choice of threshold parameters, including an automatic threshold detection, on synthetic data with known attributes. The results quantitatively show that each algorithm and method has its own advantage, often depending on the problem at hand. This knowledge is applicable not only to complex plasmas, but useful for any kind of comparable image-based particle tracking, e.g., in the field of colloids or granular matter.

Properties of self-excited dust acoustic waves under the influence of active compression of the dust particle system were experimentally studied in the laboratory and under microgravity conditions (parabolic flight). Ground based laboratory experiments clearly show that wave properties can be manipulated by changing the discharge volume, its aspect ratio, and thus the dust particle density. Complementary experiments under microgravity conditions, performed to exclude the effects of gravity inflicted sedimentation and anisotropic behavior, were less conclusive due to residual fluctuations in the planes acceleration indicating the need for a better microgravity environment. A theoretical model, using plasma parameters obtained from particle-in-cell simulations as input, supports the experimental findings. It shows that the waves can be described as a new observation of the dust acoustic mode, which demonstrates their generic character.

A new experimental method for creating void-free complex (dusty) plasmas under microgravity conditions is presented. The method is based on a pulsed operation mode of a four-channel radio frequency generator for plasma sustainment. A dust cloud of micrometer-sized particles can be immersed in the bulk of a low temperature plasma under microgravity conditions. It typically contains a central volume depleted of particles—the void—that prevents the generation of large, continuous clouds. Experiments performed at different neutral gas pressures and discharge volumes during the microgravity phase of a parabolic flight show that the central void is closed completely once the pulsed operation mode is applied. The particle cloud shape and the density distribution within the cloud are practically independent of the pulse period within the investigated parameter range and mainly depend on the overall discharge parameters neutral gas pressure and discharge volume. This indicates that the pulsed operation of the plasma source does not introduce new physical effects on the particles aside from the void closure. The proposed method has great potential for future application in experimental facilities dedicated to fundamental studies of large three-dimensional, homogeneous complex plasma systems in microgravity.

The micrometer-sized particles in a complex plasma can be directly visualized and recorded by digital video cameras. To analyze the dynamics of single particles, reliable algorithms are required to accurately determine their positions to sub-pixel accuracy from the recorded images. Here, we combine the algorithms with common techniques for image processing, and we study several algorithms, pre- and post-processing methods, and the impact of the choice of threshold parameters.

We have performed experiments on dusty plasmas under the weightlessness conditions of parabolic flights where the dust particles form an extended homogeneous dust cloud. The three-dimensional (3D) dynamic state of the dust cloud is characterized. Therefore, the particle trajectories have been recorded using a four-camera stereoscopic camera system. From that, the 3D particle trajectories have been determined using both a machine-learning particle reconstruction technique and the deterministic shake-the-box algorithm. From the trajectories, characteristic fluid parameters, such as flow fields and finite-time Lyapunov exponent (FTLE)-based fluid structures have been calculated and analyzed. The FTLE analysis indicates that the fluid is characterized by an incompressible flow with small-scale behavior. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that the machine-learning based approach allows to reliably characterize the dynamic states by comparison with the shake-the-box algorithm. Published by the American Physical Society 2025