Streaming Ultracold Neutral Plasmas

流式超冷中性等离子体

基本信息

批准号：
1102516
负责人：
Thomas Killian
金额：
$ 39万
依托单位：
William Marsh Rice University
依托单位国家：
美国
项目类别：
Continuing Grant
财政年份：
2011
资助国家：
美国
起止时间：
2011-09-01 至 2014-08-31
项目状态：
已结题

来源：
https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1102516&HistoricalAwards=false
关键词：
Streaming Ultracold Neutral Plasmas

项目摘要

In plasmas, charged particles move together in concert to produce density or velocity patterns that oscillate in time in what are called collective modes. Collective modes often dominate the properties of plasmas, such as their stability, so it is crucial to understand them. This work will study ion collective modes in ultracold neutral plasmas for the first time. Ultracold neutral plasmas are created by laser ionization of clouds of atoms that have been cooled to temperatures as low as 1/1000th of a degree above absolute zero. In addition to expanding our fundamental understanding of an exotic regime of nature, these experiments may shed light on the physics of dense plasmas in thermonuclear devices or the cores of gas giant planets.The broader impact of this proposal starts with the training of graduate students for careers in science and technology. It is augmented by the diversity of Rice's physics program and strength of Rice's geographical location for attracting minority students to the program. One third of the students who have worked on these projects in the past have been women, and one third have been under-represented minorities. An additional goal of the project is to attract and retain more students in science and engineering through involvement of undergraduate students. These experiments are ideal for this purpose because concepts are accessible and lasers capture students' imaginations.

在等离子体中，带电粒子一起运动，产生密度或速度模式，这些模式随时间以所谓的集体模式振荡。集体模式通常主导等离子体的特性，例如其稳定性，因此了解它们至关重要。这项工作将首次研究超冷中性等离子体中的离子聚集模式。超冷中性等离子体是通过激光电离原子云而产生的，这些原子云已被冷却到低至绝对零以上 1/1000 度的温度。除了扩展我们对奇异自然状态的基本理解之外，这些实验还可能揭示热核装置或气态巨行星核心中的致密等离子体的物理学。该提案的更广泛影响始于对研究生的培训科学技术领域的职业。莱斯大学物理课程的多样性和莱斯大学吸引少数族裔学生参加该课程的地理位置的优势增强了这一点。过去参与这些项目的学生中有三分之一是女性，三分之一是代表性不足的少数族裔。该项目的另一个目标是通过本科生的参与来吸引和留住更多科学与工程专业的学生。这些实验非常适合此目的，因为概念易于理解，并且激光可以激发学生的想象力。