Controlling strongly correlated dust clusters with lasers

Lasers have been used extensively to manipulate matter in a controlled way - from single atoms and molecules up to macroscopic materials. They are particularly valuable for the analysis and control of mesoscopic systems such as few-particle clusters. Here we report on recent work on finite size complex (dusty) plasma systems. These are unusual types of clusters with a very strong inter-particle interaction so that, at room temperature, they are practically in their ground state. Lasers are employed as a tool to achieve excited states and phase transitions. The most attractive feature of dusty plasmas is that they allow for a precise diagnostic with single-particle resolution. From such measurements, the structural properties of finite two-dimensional (2D) clusters and three-dimensional (3D) spherical crystals in nearly harmonic traps-so-called Yukawa balls-have been explored in great detail. Their structural features-the shell compositions and the order within the shells-have been investigated and good agreement to theoretical predictions was found. Open questions on the agenda are the excitation behaviour, the structural changes and phase transitions that occur at elevated temperature. Here we report on recent experimental results where laser heating methods were further improved and applied to finite 2D and 3D dust clusters. Comparing to simulations, we demonstrate that laser heating indeed allows to increase the temperature in a controlled manner. For the analysis of thermodynamic properties and phase transitions in these finite systems, we present theoretical and experimental results on the basis of the instantaneous normal modes, pair distribution function and the recently introduced centre-two-particle correlation function.