Streaming Ultracold Neutral Plasmas

在等离子体中，带电粒子一起运动，产生密度或速度模式，这些模式在所谓的集体模式中随时间振荡。集体模式经常支配等离子体的特性，比如它们的稳定性，因此理解它们是至关重要的。本工作将首次研究超冷中性等离子体中的离子集体模式。超冷中性等离子体是由激光电离原子云产生的，这些原子云被冷却到比绝对零度低千分之一度。除了扩大我们对自然界奇特制度的基本理解之外，这些实验可能会揭示热核装置或气体巨行星核心中的密集等离子体的物理学。这项提议的更广泛影响始于培养研究生从事科学和技术工作。莱斯大学物理专业的多样性和地理位置吸引少数族裔学生的优势，进一步增强了这一点。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民族。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的理工科学生。这些实验是理想的，因为概念是容易理解的，激光捕捉学生的想象力。

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.