Strong Coulomb coupling influences ion and neutral temperatures in atmospheric pressure plasmas

Abstract Molecular dynamics simulations are used to model ion and neutral temperature evolution in partially-ionized atmospheric pressure plasma at different ionization fractions. Results show that ion–ion interactions strongly coupled fractions as low 10 −5 the is influenced by effects associated with strong coupling. Specifically, disorder-induced heating found rapidly heat ions on a timescale of period (∼10 s ps) after an pulse. This followed collisional relaxation neutrals, which cools heats neutrals longer (∼ns) timescale. Slight then occurs over much (∼100 ns) due ion-neutral three-body recombination. An analytic developed agrees simulation results. A conclusion coupling important plasmas.