Abstract
We present the first observation of an instability in an expanding ultracold plasma. We observe periodic emission of electrons from an ultracold plasma in weak, crossed magnetic and electric fields, and a strongly perturbed electron density distribution in electron time-of-flight projection images. We identify this instability as a high-frequency electron drift instability due to the coupling between the electron drift wave and electron cyclotron harmonic, which has large wave numbers corresponding to wavelengths close to the electron gyroradius.
- Received 24 July 2008
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.101.195002
©2008 American Physical Society
Synopsis
An ultracold plasma shows its unstable side
Published 10 November 2008
The same instability that is observed in hot plasmas, such as those created in spacecraft ion thrusters, is also found in an ultracold xenon plasma.
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