Effect of dust particles on the properties of low-temperature plasmas

Parameters of a low-temperature plasma containing dust particles are calculated numerically with the help of a self-consistent solution of the balance equation for production and recombination of electrons and ions, combined with the molecular dynamics method for direct simulation of processes in the vicinity of macroparticles. The relation between the charges of macroparticles and the neutral gas pressure, as well as the dependence of the low-temperature plasma parameters on the volume concentration of dust particles, is analyzed. It is shown that the plasma characteristics and composition may change noticeably relative to the case unperturbed by dust even for comparatively low concentration of dust particles.