Radiation-induced solidification of ionic liquid under extreme electric field.

An extreme electric field on the order of 10(10) V m(-1) was applied to the free surface of an ionic liquid to cause electric-field-induced evaporation of molecular ions from the liquid. The point of ion emission was observed in situ using a TEM. The resulting electrospray emission process was observed to create nanoscale high-aspect-ratio dendritic features that were aligned with the direction of the electric field.

Self-assembling array of magnetoelectrostatic jets from the surface of a superparamagnetic ionic liquid.

Electrospray is a versatile technology used, for example, to ionize biomolecules for mass spectrometry, create nanofibers and nanowires, and propel spacecraft in orbit. Traditionally, electrospray is achieved via microfabricated capillary needle electrodes that are used to create the fluid jets. Here we report on multiple parallel jetting instabilities realized through the application of simultaneous electric and magnetic fields to the surface of a superparamagnetic electrically conducting ionic liquid with no needle electrodes.

Application of maximum likelihood methods to laser Thomson scattering measurements of low density plasmas.

Laser Thomson scattering (LTS) is an established plasma diagnostic technique that has seen recent application to low density plasmas. It is difficult to perform LTS measurements when the scattered signal is weak as a result of low electron number density, poor optical access to the plasma, or both. Photon counting methods are often implemented in order to perform measurements in these low signal conditions.