Modeling the interaction between two dimensional strongly coupled confined dust clusters

Numerical simulations based on the Monte Carlo method are conducted to investigate ground-state configurations and phase transitions of strongly coupled dust particles. The interaction between negatively charged dust particles is modeled by three different potentials, namely, Coulomb, Yukawa, and logarithmic. The effect of random charge fluctuation is taken into account for a dominant charging process by particles collection and in the presence of two dimensional parabolic confinement potential. Structural arrangement and phase transition are found to be dependent on the potential interaction and the charge fluctuation. The changes in the melting temperature, when the charge fluctuation is taken into account, are particularly noticeable for systems with particles interacting through logarithmic potential.