Nonlinear interaction of compressional waves in a 2D dusty plasma crystal

Nonlinear mixing and harmonic generation of compressional waves were studied in a 2D Yukawa (screened Coulomb) triangular lattice. The lattice was a monolayer of highly charged polymer microspheres levitated in a plasma sheath. Two sinusoidal waves with different frequencies were excited in the lattice by pushing the particles with modulated Ar+ laser beams. Waves at the sum and difference frequencies and harmonics were observed propagating in the lattice. Phonons interacted nonlinearly only above an excitation-power threshold due to frictional damping, as predicted by theory.