The role of negative ions in experiments with complex plasma

The influence of negative ions on the state of an rf gas-discharge dusty (complex) plasma containing electronegative gaseous impurities was investigated. A simple one-dimensional argon-discharge model allowing for the impurity-induced plasmachemical reactions was taken as an example to show that the addition of even a minor amount of molecular oxygen changes appreciably the plasma composition and plasma transport properties, as well as the microparticle charges. In turn, these changes have a strong effect on the microparticle force balance and on the formation of various dusty structures in the discharge.