Fig. 1. The laboratory of the Centre for Plasma Science and Technology
An innovative, forward-looking and advanced institution like BMSTU
cannot ignore these developments and therefore it has decided to remain
competitive and invest in some of these emerging plasma research areas.
The topics chosen reflect in part existing research areas at BMSTU, in
part new fields are included that had no research history at BMSTU. The
Centre currently houses three laboratories, equipped to the most competitive
international standards (see fig. 1):
1. Complex Plasma Laboratory (see fig. 2, fig. 3).
Complex Plasmas
consist of electrons, ions and charged microparticles. The microparticles are
illuminated with a laser and can be visualized individually with e.g. a CCD
camera. Because of their comparatively large mass (hundreds of billions
times heavier than atoms) they move much more slowly and physical
processes occur practically as if in “slow motion”. The microparticles
can interact with one another and self-organise, forming liquid and even
crystalline states.
The research, combining experimental activity with theoretical investi-
gations, is focused on two major directions: Studies of basic properties of
complex plasmas, and interdisciplinary research of generic phenomena
occurring in classical liquids and solids. The aim of basic studies of
complex plasmas is to better understand their physics, while the principal
objective of the interdisciplinary research is to use complex plasmas as a
ISSN 0236-3941. Вестник МГТУ им. Н.Э. Баумана. Сер. “Машиностроение” 2013. № 2 47
