Surface processes of dust particles in low pressure plasmas

This paper presents several aspects of applied dusty plasma research. New applications of dust particles are emerging; there is growing demand for particles with special properties, and for particle-seeded composite materials. Low-pressure plasmas offer a unique possibility of confinement, control and fine tailoring of particle properties. The role of low-pressure technology in surface modification (coating) of dust grains is discussed and illustrated with examples. Fundamental research related to industrial particle treatment aims at the understanding the surface chemistry of processing. More specifically, the nature of plasma-particle interactions must be resolved. Heat exchange and particle temperature, discussed in this paper, are of major interest in the applied dusty plasma studies.