# Inhomogeneity of dusty crystals and plasma diagnostics

## I Introduction

Formation of dust crystals (DC) takes place in a vertical electric field of the sheath, the gravitational field and a horizontal electrical field. The external field, acting in vertical and horizontal traps, stabilizes the 3-dimensional DC of finite size and linear chains of $`d`$-ions (horizontal traps for confinement of one-dimensional DC are used in ). The pressure of the boundaries and the external field violate the translational invariance and lead to a dependence of the distances between nearest neighbors in the lattice of dust particles on the position of the particles (see Fig.1 and Fig.2). Therefore macroscopic inhomogeneity in a lattice is a new phenomenon not present in the usual infinite (very large) crystal.

Even in the approximation of central force for interparticle interaction between $`d`$-ions, DC possess a layered structure (the layered structure of usual atomic crystals, as graphite, is connected with the anisotropy of the interparticle interaction).

The vertical and horizontal distances between nearest neighbours (lattice “constants” $`R_{}`$ and $`R_{}`$) are in general different functions of position in different directions from the center of the crystal (center of inertia). Deformation of DC in the fields of the traps depends on its characteristics and on the plasma parameters. Therefore the electrostrictional response of $`d`$-ion systems on a static external disturbance can be used as a diagnostic tool for DC and the surrounding plasma. In particular the charge $`Q`$ of $`d`$-ions, the screening length $`R_D,`$ the concentration of the small ions and the electric field in the sheath can be determined. In the present paper the possibility to use the inhomogeneity of DC for plasma diagnostics is considered theoretically.

Recently dusty plasma diagnostics appear on basis of investigations of the dispersion curves $`\omega (k)`$ for $`d`$-ion sound  and properties of forced oscillations of linear $`d`$-ion’s chains in an electric field  and under the action of laser impulses . The static diagnostic, suggested in this paper is simpler for the theoretical description and experimental realization than the dynamic sounding considered in .

For the description of a lattice configuration of $`N`$ $`d`$-ions in a state of deformation under action of external gravitational and electric forces $`\overline{f_n}=V_n`$ and interparticles forces $`\overline{F_n}=U_n`$ we will use the balance equations. Here $`V_n`$ is the potential energy of the $`d`$-ion with number $`n`$, $`U_n`$ is the potential energy of interaction between the $`d`$-ion with number $`n`$ and all other ones. We do not take into account the force connected with momentum transfer from the small ions to the $`d`$-ions. This force very often can be omitted, because in the case when it is essential, the $`d`$-ions can be found not only below the sheath, but also on top of it, which is not observed in the experiment discussed below.

We will use the simple approximation of nearest neighbours for the description of interparticle interaction. This approximation apparently gives a good picture of the inhomogeneity of DC under the action of external forces and with a screening length $`R_DR_{},R_{}`$. We also will neglect a possible dependence of the $`d`$-ion charge $`Q`$ on the location in the inhomogeneous DC (w.r.t. $`d`$-ion density). Therefore we suggest $`Q=const`$ in our considerations.

## II Equations of static equilibrium

For the case of inhomogeneous three-dimensional DC we will use a simple quasi-one-dimensional model of DC, in which the layer lattice with a real potential is changed into a one-dimensional vertical chain of particles. The effective potential for this model can be calculated by integration of the interaction with the nearest layer with distributed charge $`\sigma =Q/S_0`$ ($`S_0`$ is the surface for a $`d`$-ion in horizontal direction)

$$U(r)_{xy}=\frac{2\pi }{S_0}\underset{0}{\overset{\mathrm{}}{}}𝑑\rho \rho U\left(\sqrt{z^2+\rho ^2}\right)$$
(1)   
For the Debye-Hueckel interaction and simple hexagonal lattice the potential (1) has the form

$$U(z)=\frac{Q^2}{2}e^{\varkappa r}_{x,y}=U_0e^{\varkappa z},\varkappa =\frac{1}{R_D},U_0=2\pi \frac{Q\sigma }{\varkappa },\sigma =\frac{2Q}{\sqrt{3}R_{}^2}$$
(2)   
This model permits to calculate the dependence of the distances between the nearest slabs $`R_n(z)`$ as a function of height.

In the general case of pair interaction between the $`d`$-ions in the external electric and gravitational fields of the sheath the potential energy can be written in the form

$$U+V=\underset{k=1}{\overset{N1}{}}U_k+\underset{k=1}{\overset{N}{}}V_k,U_k=U(R_k),V_k=V(z_k),R_k=z_{k+1}z_k$$
(3)   
Here we take into account only interaction between neighbouring particles. The potential energy for a horizontal chain of $`N`$ interacting $`d`$-ions in the electric field of the trap, has an analogous form and stabilizes this chain in the $`x`$-direction $`(z_kx_k)`$. The conditions of balance of external and internal forces lead to a system of equations which determines the configuration of the $`d`$-ions:

$$\{\begin{array}{c}U_k^{}U_{k+1}^{}+V_{k+1}^{}=0,k=1,2,3,\mathrm{}N2,U_k^{}=\frac{dU}{dR_k}V_k^{}=\frac{dV}{dz_k},\hfill \\ U_1^{}+V_1^{}=0,\hfill \\ U_{N1}^{}+V_N^{}=0.\hfill \end{array}$$
(4)   
Summation of the left parts of these equations leads to the obvious condition of zero sum of the external fields: $`\underset{k=1}{\overset{N}{}}V_k^{}=0`$.

For the stabilization of horizontal chains an external field in the form of a parabolic well in the chain direction has been used in .

$$V_k=\frac{1}{2}m\omega _0^2(x_nX_0)^2,X_0=\frac{1}{N}\underset{k=1}{\overset{N}{}}x_k$$
(5)   
Here $`X_0`$ is the center of inertia for a chain and $`\omega _0`$ is a parameter, which determines the shape of the pit. According to  the vertical electric field in a sheath changes linearly with the height. This dependence is realized approximately in the regions not too close to the lower electrode and the border of the presheath: the quadratic approximation for the potential $`\phi (z)`$ in the plasma layer is also used in  for the analysis of the equations of motion of DC . Therefore in the case of a vertical potential well we use in eq.(4) the expansion

$$\begin{array}{c}V(z_k)=mgz_k+Q\phi _0+Q\phi _0^{}(z_kX_0)+\frac{1}{2}\omega _0^2(z_kX_0)^2,\hfill \\ \phi _0=\phi (X_0),\phi _0^{}=\phi ^{}(X_0),m\omega _0^2=Q\phi ^{\prime \prime }(X_0).\hfill \end{array}$$
(6)   
The parabolic approximation for the vertical electric field is reasonable for the case of sufficiently thin DC . To estimate the maximal thickness $`\mathrm{}=z_Nz_1=2(X_0z_1)`$ of DC, for which this approximation is true, let us consider $`\phi (z)=\phi (0)\mathrm{exp}(z/R_D)`$ and use the condition

$`{\displaystyle \frac{1}{3}}\left|Q\phi _0^{\prime \prime \prime }\right|(X_0z_1)^2{\displaystyle \frac{1}{3}}\left|Q\phi _0^{}\right|\left({\displaystyle \frac{\mathrm{}}{2R_D}}\right)^2<Q\phi _0^{\prime \prime }(X_0z_1)\left|Q\phi _0^{}\right|{\displaystyle \frac{\mathrm{}}{2R_D}}`$

Then the necessary inequality is $`\mathrm{}<6R_D`$ which is usually satisfied (see, for example, ). The linear terms in Eq.(6) are really absent because of the condition of zero total external forces:

$$mg+Q\phi ^{}(X_0)=0.$$
(7)   
This condition determines the position of the center of inertia for the system of levitated $`d`$-ions.

By use of the parabolic approximation (6) in the balance equations (4) and subtracting from each equation the previous one, we find

$$\{\begin{array}{c}2U_k^{}U_{k+1}^{}U_{k1}^{}+m\omega _0^2R_k=0,k=2,3,\mathrm{}N2,\hfill \\ 2U_1^{}U_2^{}+m\omega _0^2R_1=0,\hfill \\ 2U_{N1}^{}U_{N2}^{}+m\omega _0^2R_{N1}=0.\hfill \end{array}$$
(8)   
As follows from eq.(8) the intervals $`R_k`$ are symmetric with respect to the center:

$`R_1=R_{N1},R_2=R_{N2},\mathrm{},R_k=R_{Nk},\mathrm{}`$

## III Structure of DC with an attractive (for large distances) and with a purely repulsive potential

According to eqs.(4), (8) for isolated systems of $`d`$-ions ($`V_k^{}=0`$), there are two different possibilities when external fields are absent.

If the pair interaction between $`d`$-ions is a nonmonotonic function and leads to repulsion at small distances and to attraction at large distances, then the solution of eq.(4) reads

$$U_1^{}=U_2^{}=\mathrm{}=U_{N1}^{}=0$$
(9)   
.

This solution describes a homogeneous chain of $`N`$ $`d`$-ions with equal distances between nearest neighbours $`R_1=R_2=\mathrm{}=R_{N1}=R_0`$. The potential energy has a minimum for this state. In this case the weakly inhomogeneous configurations of $`d`$-ions with external force $`V_k^{}0`$ can be described on basis of small deformations $`|R_0R_k|R_0`$. Then we use the expansion

$$U(R_k)=U_0+\frac{m\mathrm{\Omega }^2}{2}(R_kR_0)^2,m\mathrm{\Omega }^2=U^{\prime \prime }(R_0)$$
(10)   
If the pair interaction $`U(R_k)`$ has a monotonic purely repulsive form, the $`d`$-ions of an isolated system are unstable and, according to (9) all $`R_k`$ are infinite. In this case stabilization of the system in a weak external field playing the role of a trap, leads also to a slightly inhomogeneous state, in which the deviations of the intervals from the average are small,

$$R_0=\frac{1}{N1}\underset{k=1}{\overset{N1}{}}R_k,\left|R_0R_k\right|R_0$$
(11)   
In this case the alternative quadratic expansion of the energy for $`dd`$ interactions has the form

$$\begin{array}{c}\underset{k=1}{\overset{N1}{}}U_k=(N1)U_0+U_0^{}\underset{k=1}{\overset{N1}{}}(R_kR_0)+\frac{1}{2}m\mathrm{\Omega }^2\underset{k=1}{\overset{N1}{}}(R_kR_0)^2=\hfill \\ (N1)U(R_0)(N1)U_0^{}R_0+U_0^{}(z_Nz_1)+\frac{1}{2}m\mathrm{\Omega }^2\underset{k=1}{\overset{N1}{}}(R_kR_0)^2,\hfill \\ U_0=U(R_0),U_0^{}=\frac{dU(R_0)}{d(R_0)},m\mathrm{\Omega }^2=\frac{d^2U(R_0)}{dR_0^2},\underset{k=1}{\overset{N1}{}}R_k=z_Nz_1.\hfill \end{array}$$
(12)   
For a potential with a well $`U^{}(R_0)=0`$ the expansions (10) and (12) coincide, therefore small deformations $`s_k=R_0R_k`$ of the system in an external field can then be described by the general equations of force balance:

$$\{\begin{array}{c}2\mathrm{cosh}ts_ks_{k+1}s_{k1}\frac{\omega _0^2}{\mathrm{\Omega }^2}R_0=0,\mathrm{cosh}t=1+\frac{\omega _0^2}{2\mathrm{\Omega }^2},k=2,3,\mathrm{},N2\hfill \\ 2\mathrm{cosh}ts_1s_2\frac{\omega _0^2}{\mathrm{\Omega }^2}R_0\frac{U_0^{}}{m\mathrm{\Omega }^2}=0,\hfill \\ 2\mathrm{cosh}ts_{N1}s_{N2}\frac{\omega _0^2}{\mathrm{\Omega }^2}R_0\frac{U_0^{}}{m\mathrm{\Omega }^2}=0.\hfill \end{array}$$
(13)   
Here for purely repulsive interaction $`R_0`$ is the average. For the case with attraction $`U_0^{}=0`$ and $`R_0`$ is the equilibrium distance in the isolated system of $`d`$-ions.

## IV Solutions and numerical results

A general solution of the equations in finite differences (13) can be obtained in the form

$$s_k=R_0R_k=R_0+Ae^{kt}+Be^{kt}.$$
(14)   
Taking into account the symmetry of the system $`s_k=s_{Nk}`$, the connection between the coefficients $`B=Ae^{Nt}`$ can be found. The coefficient $`A`$ can be found from the boundary condition for $`k=1`$ (or for $`k=N1`$). Finally for the interval number $`k`$ and purely repulsive potential we find

$$R_k=\left(R_0\frac{U^{}(R_0)}{m\mathrm{\Omega }^2}\right)\frac{\mathrm{cosh}\left(\frac{N}{2}k\right)t}{\mathrm{cosh}\frac{Nt}{2}}=\left(R_0\frac{U^{}(R_0)}{m\mathrm{\Omega }^2}\right)\frac{C_{k1}^{}(\mathrm{cosh}t)+C_{Nk1}^{}(\mathrm{cosh}t)}{C_{N1}^{}(\mathrm{cosh}t)}$$
(15)   
Here $`C_n^{}(x)`$ are the Gegenbauer polynomials. For the case of interaction with attraction $`U^{}(R_0)=0`$, the intervals $`R_k`$ have the form:

$$R_k=R_0\frac{\mathrm{cosh}\left(\frac{N}{2}k\right)t}{\mathrm{cosh}\frac{N}{2}t}.$$
(16)   
Therefore in the parabolic trap formed by the external forces, a chain of $`d`$ -ions is compressed symmetrically w.r.t. the center of inertia, and the central regions more strongly than the ones outwards $`R_1>R_2>\mathrm{}`$ For the resulting electrostrictional reduction of the length $`\mathrm{}`$ of an entire chain it follows from Eq.(16) that ($`R_0`$ is the equilibrium distance in a homogeneous chain)

$$\mathrm{}=\underset{k=1}{\overset{N1}{}}R_k=2R_0\frac{\mathrm{cosh}\frac{t}{2}\mathrm{sinh}\frac{N1}{2}t}{\mathrm{sinh}t\mathrm{cosh}\frac{Nt}{2}}<(N1)R_0$$
(17)   
For sufficiently long ($`N1`$) horizontal chains and for (in vertical direction) quasi-one-dimensional dusty crystals the profile distributions of charge density and mass and thereby the “constants” of the elastic forces can be obtained in the approximation of continuous media by use of eqs.(16), (17). The surface density of charge is proportional to to the mass density and therefore there is balance of the external volume electric and gravitational forces in each point of a horizontal plane at fixed height. This means that even inhomogeneous planes (Fig.1) and horizontal chains (Fig.2), which are more dense in the center, are not suspended in the central part of the dusty system, where the density is higher. Enlargement of the density in the center of horizontal crystalline planes is observed in the experiments , but quantitative measurements are unknown to us. Parallel to oscillation and wave measurements in horizontal chains, the equilibrium positions of $`d`$-ions have also been determined in the electric field of a horizontal trap . According to the data of these papers for the case $`N=12`$ the ratios of the intervals between neighbouring $`d`$-ions in the direction of the center are $`R_1:R_2:\mathrm{}R_6=1.44:1.22:1.11:1.05:1.01:1.00`$. These results are reasonably described by our formula (15), in which for $`t=0.18`$ (and correspondingly $`\omega _0=0.2\mathrm{\Omega }`$) these ratios are $`1.43:1.27:1.15:1.07:1.02:1.00`$.

The experimental data for the other half of the chain $`R_6:R_7:\mathrm{}R_{11}=1:1.01:1.01:1.08:1.20:1.32`$ agree less with our theory for the (with respect to the center) symmetric chain and they are essentially different from the experimental data for the first half of the chain. We think that this asymmetry is a consequence of the asymmetric and not exactly parabolic $`V(x)\frac{1}{2}m\omega _0^2x^2`$ shape of the external electric field (here $`x`$ is the distance from the center of the chain). According to  $`m\omega _0^2=2.5510^{11}`$ kg$``$s<sup>-2</sup>, $`m=6.7310^{13}`$ kg. Using the data on the equilibrium configuration $`R_n`$ and the parameter of the trap $`\omega _0=6.15`$ s<sup>-1</sup> we find the important characteristic of $`dd`$ interaction $`\mathrm{\Omega }=5\omega _0=30.7`$ s<sup>-1</sup>.

For the chain with $`N=4`$ the experimental data, according to , give $`\omega _0=6.25`$ s<sup>-1</sup> and $`R_1=1989`$ $`\mu `$m, $`R_2=1910`$ $`\mu `$m, $`R_3=2031`$ $`\mu `$m. The average interval $`R_{}=1960`$ $`\mu `$m for the case $`N=4`$ is twice as large as $`R_{}=10^3`$ $`\mu `$m for the chain with $`N=12`$. This is probably connected with the higher charges (almost three times) of the $`d`$-ions in  and therefore with the stronger repulsion between them at the partially same compressing external field of the horizontal trap. For the conditions of the experiments  the asymmetry of the external field, connected with the nonquadratic form of the potential $`V(x)`$ is still stronger than in  and this was the reason to use for the bordering intervals the expression $`R_1=(R_1+R_3)/2=2010`$ $`\mu `$m. Then according to (10) we have $`R_1/R_2=1+\omega _0^2/2\mathrm{\Omega }^2=1.05`$ and $`\mathrm{\Omega }=3.16\omega _0=19.7`$ s<sup>-1</sup>.

It is necessary to emphasize that all the results for the case $`N=4`$ and $`N=12`$ are applicable for both cases: purely repulsive $`dd`$ interaction and $`dd`$ interaction with an attractive part, because, as follows from eqs.(15) and (16), the ratios of intervals $`R_k`$ are the same in these cases.

The known experimental data on equilibrium intervals $`R_{}`$ between neighbouring ions in vertical traps concern only dust crystals with two horizontal crystalline planes ($`N=2`$) and have been obtained in . In  a dust crystal with $`N=3`$ has been investigated but the thickness of the crystal was not measured.

According to  the ratio $`(R_0R_{})/R_0=0.2`$ and does not depend on the ion’s mass.

In  experiments are reported with dust crystals, formed by $`d`$-ions with radii 4.7 $`\mu `$m and 2.4 $`\mu `$ which leads to a difference of gravitational force proportional to $`m_1/m_28`$. The position of the center of inertia $`X_0`$ of the dust crystal must be considerably changed in this case: a lighter crystal will shift over a distance $`R_D`$, as follows from Eq.(7). A measurement of this effect was not reported in .

According to (16)

$$1\frac{R_{}}{R_0}=\frac{\omega _0^2}{\omega _0^2+2\mathrm{\Omega }^2}=0.2$$
(18)   
and therefore $`\mathrm{\Omega }=\sqrt{2}\omega _0`$. In contrast with  the parameter $`\omega _0^2=\frac{1}{m}V_0^{\prime \prime }(x)`$ for the vertical electric field in a sheath is here unknown. It can be determined only on basis of knowledge of the interaction potential between the $`d`$-ions, via the parameter $`\mathrm{\Omega }^2=\frac{1}{m}U^{\prime \prime }(R_{})`$.

Purely repulsive interaction (1) leads to another result. For $`N=2`$ the exact system of balance eqs.(3) has the form

$$\{\begin{array}{c}U^{}(R_{})+V^{}(z_1)=0,R_{}=z_2z_1,X_0=\frac{z_1+z_2}{2},\hfill \\ U^{}(R_{})+V^{}(z_2)=0,z_{2,1}=X_0\pm \frac{1}{2}R_{}.\hfill \end{array}$$
(19)   
In this case a more general model for the external potential (6) than the linear one can be used for the description of the electric field in a sheath. Let us take

$$E(X_0\pm \frac{1}{2}R_{})=E(X_0)e^{\pm \frac{1}{2}\varkappa R_{}}.$$
(20)   
For the position of the center of inertia we have

$$mg=QE(X_0)\mathrm{cosh}\frac{1}{2}\varkappa R_{},$$
(21)   
and according to (19) with $`U(R_{})`$ taken from (2) we find

$$V^{}(z_2)V^{}(z_1)=2QE(X_0)\mathrm{sinh}\frac{1}{2}\varkappa R_{}=2\frac{4\pi Q^2}{\sqrt{3}R_{}^2}e^{\varkappa R_{}}.$$
(22)   
By eliminating $`E(X_0)`$ from these equations we finally find

$$\mathrm{tanh}\frac{\varkappa R_{}}{2}=\alpha e^{\varkappa R_{}},\alpha =\frac{4\pi Q^2}{\sqrt{3}R_{}^2mg}.$$
(23)   
Using the experimental data  for $`m`$, $`Q`$, $`R_{}=450\mu `$m, $`R_{}=360`$ $`\mu `$m we estimate the Debye radius $`R_D=973`$ $`\mu `$m. In the case of a dust crystal with a lower $`m`$, $`Q`$ and $`R_{}=350\mu `$m, $`R_{}=280\mu `$m (see also ) we find $`R_D=933\mu `$m. Therefore the Debye length $`R_D`$ is approximately of the order of the interval between nearest $`d`$-ions, which is in agreement with the estimates of .

For the electric field in a sheath we find from eq. (21) $`E(X_0)=2.8410^3`$ V$``$m<sup>-1</sup> and $`E(X_0+\mathrm{\Delta })=1.9910^3`$V$``$m<sup>-1</sup> for the case of $`d`$-ions with radii 4.7 $`\mu `$m and 2.4 $`\mu `$m.

Let us neglect small changes of Debye radius $`R_D`$ and take

$$\frac{E(X_0)}{E(X_0+\mathrm{\Delta })}=\mathrm{exp}\left(\frac{\mathrm{\Delta }}{R_D}\right)=1.42,R_D=950\mu \text{m}.$$
(24)   
Then we obtain for the shift upwards $`\mathrm{\Delta }`$ of the lighter crystal

$$\mathrm{\Delta }=0.35R_D=332\mu \text{m}.$$
(25)   
The moving of a dust crystal inside the sheath can be observed by different microgravity experiments (see some discussion for example in ).

We suggest here some experiments in which the properties of DC can be studied under conditions of microgravity and even changing gravity.

One of these experiments (under terrestrial conditions) can be performed in a horizontal discharge, where in the horizontal direction there is only an electric force and momentum transfer from the small ions to the dust particles. For such experiment the latter force can be very essential in contrast to the conditions considered in this paper.

The second group of experiments is connected with the effective gravity created in space stations by rotation of dusty plasma. If $`h`$ and $`g_{\text{eff}}`$ are the distance from the axis of rotation to the negative electrode and the acceleration of the center of inertia for the dusty system respectively, the obvious connection is given by

$$g_{\text{eff}}=\omega ^2(hX_0).$$
(26)   
For $`g_{\text{eff}}=g`$ and $`h=1`$ m (rotation of the container inside the space station or rocket) or $`h=10`$ m (rotation of the space station as a whole) we find $`\omega =3`$ s<sup>-1</sup> and $`\omega =1`$ s<sup>-1</sup> respectively, which are conditions of weakly inhomogeneous ($`hR_k`$) artificial gravitational field where our results, obtained above, are applicable. Measuring the dependence $`X_0=X_0(\omega )`$ would permit to investigate the profile of the electric field in a sheath and other characteristics of the dusty system and plasma. Of special interest is the investigation of the deformation of DC in an essentially inhomogeneous rotation field ($`hX_00.05`$ m and $`\omega 15`$ s<sup>-1</sup>). A detailed consideration of such experiment will be given in a separate paper.

In the case of a dust crystal with three horizontal crystalline planes the static equilibrium is described by the system of eqs.(4) with $`N=3`$. In the approximation for the electric fields used before the coordinate of the average $`d`$-ions $`z_2`$ and the value $`E_0`$ can be eliminated on basis of balance of external fields:

$$3mg=QE_0\underset{n=1}{\overset{3}{}}e^{\varkappa z_n}=QE_0e^{\varkappa z_2}(1+e^{\varkappa R_1}+e^{\varkappa R_2}).$$
(27)   
For the system of equations determining the vertical intervals $`R_1`$ and $`R_2`$, we obtain

$$\begin{array}{c}\frac{\alpha }{3}(e^{\varkappa R_1}2e^{\varkappa R_2})+\frac{1e^{\varkappa R_2}}{1+e^{\varkappa R_1}+e^{\varkappa R_2}}=0,\hfill \\ \frac{\alpha }{3}(e^{\varkappa R_2}2e^{\varkappa R_1})+\frac{e^{\varkappa R_1}1}{1+e^{\varkappa R_1}+e^{\varkappa R_2}}=0.\hfill \end{array}$$
(28)   
Even for the highest pressure of neutrals in , $`p=300`$ mTorr ($`Q=7.210^3`$e, $`R_{}=0.28`$ mm, $`\varkappa R_{}=0.61`$) the parameter $`\alpha /3=0.0531`$. Suggesting $`R_1=R_2=R_{}`$ and $`\varkappa R_{}1`$ it follows from eq.(28) that

$$\varkappa R_{}\frac{\alpha }{1+\alpha }=0.14.$$
(29)   
Let us emphasize that the vertical compression is symmetric $`(R_1=R_2)`$ with respect to the central plane only for $`\varkappa R_{}1`$. In contrast to the approximate equations (8) for the parabolic wells, the exact equations (28) are not symmetric for the interchange $`R_1R_2`$.

From eq.(27)-(29) with the Debye radius given in  it follows that vertical compression is important:

$$\frac{R_{}R_{}}{R_{}}=0.77.$$
(30)   
In the framework of the quadratic approximation for the potential energy of the system with $`N=3`$ we find according to eqs.(15)-(16)

$$\frac{R_{}R_{}}{R_{}}=\frac{\omega _0^2}{\omega _0^2+\mathrm{\Omega }^2}.$$
(31)   
Unfortunately the vertical interval $`R_{}`$ has not been measured in . The experimental data obtained in  are not sufficient to choose which variant is preferable for purely repulsive interaction or interaction with an attractive part: the quadratic model or the more exact description (27)-(28).

## V Conclusions.

The method of dusty plasma diagnostics discussed above and based on an analysis of the inhomogeneity of the linear structures of $`d`$-ions, seems very attractive. In contrast to the situation in the usual sound method, the $`d`$-ions of a small dust crystal or a linear dust chain have additional degrees of freedom. It gives the possibility to extract additional information from the static response (change of the equilibrium distances between the $`d`$-ions) or the dynamic response (oscillations and waves in inhomogeneous structures). The sounding by small clusters of $`d`$-ions cannot change essentially the plasma parameters (although some distortion of the micro-field in the plasma can be stimulated by the traps, which stabilize the $`d`$-clusters). The advantage of static diagnostics is the simplicity of the measurements of the inhomogeneous structure and the simple connection with the parameters of the interaction between $`d`$-ions, their shielding and the characteristics of rf plasma. The precise theoretical consideration of the dynamical experiments , which are based on the excitation of the eigenmodes in linear chains and dust crystals, seems a more complicated problem.

We would like to stress that the most general consideration of the equilibrium inhomogeneous configurations of dusty systems can be based on translationally non-invariant solutions of the connected system of kinetic equations for plasmas and Poisson’s equation, where the separation between an external field and $`dd`$ interaction is absent. The equilibrium positions for the $`d`$-ions can be found as the points of space where the self-consistent electric field is in balance with gravity. However, this program is too complicated and, as we showed, not necessary for a reasonable theoretical description of the existing experiments.

We are grateful to Dr. A.Melzer for fruitful discussions and private communications about the experimental results. We also would like to thank Dr. H.Thomas and Dr. J.Goree for private communications connected with the papers .

This work have been performed with the support of INTAS grant N 96-0617.