Liquid and crystalline structures in dusty plasmas: dust liquid crystal

Results of the experimental investigation of dusty plasma structures being formed in striations of a positive column of the dc low-pressure glow discharge in the wide range sizes of dust grains from 5/spl middot/10/sup -12/ g to 10/sup -7/ g are presented. Depending upon a relation between forces acting on dust particles (gravity, electrical, ion drag) different type of dusty plasma formations were observed: plasma crystals, structures with a short-distance order and with a convective movement of dust grains. The molecular dynamics simulation performed showed a good agreement with the experimental data. For the first time there has been realized levitation of large cylindrical particles (with a length of 300 /spl mu/m) which formed a structure similar to liquid crystals.