Structural evolution as two plasma crystals approach each other: Numerical simulation

In this letter, the structural evolution of two approaching plasma crystals is investigated in a binary complex plasma by Langevin dynamics simulations. Each particle cloud is confined by a parabolic potential. As the clouds move towards each other, the number of layers decreases and the particles rearrange in the crystals. As a result, the interfacial order depends strongly on the size and thus the charge of the particles. A well-matched interface exists only when the disparity of the particle size is marginal. These results clarify the evolution of crystalline structure and interfacial matching in binary complex plasmas.