Simulations of one- and two-dimensional complex plasmas using a modular, object-oriented code

Abstract

In a complex plasma, charged microparticles ('dust') are added to a background of ions, electrons, and neutral particles. This dust fully interacts with the surrounding plasma and self-consistently alters the plasma environment leading to the emergence of new plasma behavior. Numerical tools that complement experimental investigations can provide important insights into the properties of complex plasmas. This paper discusses a newly developed code, named DEMON (dynamic exploration of microparticle clouds optimized numerically), for simulating a complex plasma. The DEMON code models the behavior of the charged particle component of a complex plasma in a uniform plasma background. The key feature of the DEMON code is the use of a modular force model that allows a wide variety of experimental configurations to be studied without varying the core code infrastructure. Examples of the flexibility of this modular approach are presented using examples of one- and two-dimensional complex plasmas.