Dynamic phenomena in complex plasmas

A complex or dusty plasma exhibits many dynamic phenomena associated with single and few-particle motions, lattice collective excitations, phase transitions, and void and cluster formation. Experiments have been performed to investigate these processes, using detailed modelling of the discharge and powerful diagnostic techniques. Observations and theory of self-excited motions of dust grains and their interaction with the background plasma are reported. Such observations can be used to elucidate the basic physics of the dynamical processes coupling the grains to the plasma, and to diagnose the parameters of the dusty plasma.