The plasma discharge is generated using a pin array that can be biased DC, AC or pulsed. The discharge can be generated in a variety of gases, typically air, helium, argon and mixtures. A student participating in this research would be involved in measuring the plasma density and in air discharges, determining the constituent molecules formed in the plasma. The research in my group focuses on nonequilibrium systems. Nonequilibrium systems are systems that are driven out of thermodynamic equilibrium by some external force, such as pressure gradients, temperature gradients, or external voltages.
Pattern formation is concerned with the formation of regular or irregular spatial structures.
The experiments are focused on furthering our understanding of spatio-temporal chaos. The study of complex fluids focuses on the behavior of technologically relevant materials such as foams, emulsions, and granular materials. These are surfactant molecules that are confined to the air-water interface. A student working in this area would learn how to make the monolayers, use our two-dimensional Couette viscometer, and also be involved in image processing.