Charge Density Fluctuations on a Dielectric Surface Exposed to Plasma or UV Radiation
Dust particles on a nonconductive surface are known to acquire electric charge and detach from the surface under plasma conditions and/or when affected by ultraviolet radiation. Similar phenomena occur as a result of electrostatic surface cleaning (shedding) as well as in nature, e.g., when observin...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-03-01
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| Series: | Plasma |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2571-6182/4/2/12 |
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| author | Alexander V. Zakharov Eugene V. Rosenfeld |
| author_facet | Alexander V. Zakharov Eugene V. Rosenfeld |
| author_sort | Alexander V. Zakharov |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Dust particles on a nonconductive surface are known to acquire electric charge and detach from the surface under plasma conditions and/or when affected by ultraviolet radiation. Similar phenomena occur as a result of electrostatic surface cleaning (shedding) as well as in nature, e.g., when observing levitation of dust particles above the lunar surface. A detachment of dust particles from the surface should occur when the electrostatic forces of their repulsion <i>F<sub>c</sub></i> exceed the sum of the gravitation <i>F<sub>g</sub></i> forces and the adhesive van der Waals <i>F<sub>vdW</sub></i> forces acting on the particle on a nonconducting surface. However, a paradoxical situation usually arises: the three primary forces of different nature <i>F<sub>c</sub>, F<sub>g</sub>,</i> and <i>F<sub>vdW</sub></i>, acting on a speck of dust with a characteristic size of the order of hundreds or thousands of nanometers, are completely incomparable in magnitude, herewith <i>F<sub>c</sub></i> << <i>F<sub>g</sub> << F<sub>vdW</sub>.</i> In the last decade, numerous attempts have been made to explain how a particle on a nonconducting surface can acquire a charge sufficient for the electrostatic forces that arise to approach the adhesive forces’ values. However, despite some successes, many questions remain unanswered. This article presents a brief analysis of the charge appearance process on a solitary dust speck and a speck lying on the surface. To explain the detachment of dust particles from the surface caused by electrostatic forces and the accumulation of a charge on those particles sufficient for levitation, one should take into account the charge density fluctuations on the surface. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T12:56:49Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1b847372f597474cac35c0dcf13cd074 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2571-6182 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T12:56:49Z |
| publishDate | 2021-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Plasma |
| spelling | doaj.art-1b847372f597474cac35c0dcf13cd0742023-11-21T11:47:15ZengMDPI AGPlasma2571-61822021-03-014220121310.3390/plasma4020012Charge Density Fluctuations on a Dielectric Surface Exposed to Plasma or UV RadiationAlexander V. Zakharov0Eugene V. Rosenfeld1Space Research Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Profsoyuznaya str, 84/32, 117997 Moscow, RussiaInstitute of Metal Physics, Ural Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, Kovalevskaya str. 18, 620990 Yekaterinburg, RussiaDust particles on a nonconductive surface are known to acquire electric charge and detach from the surface under plasma conditions and/or when affected by ultraviolet radiation. Similar phenomena occur as a result of electrostatic surface cleaning (shedding) as well as in nature, e.g., when observing levitation of dust particles above the lunar surface. A detachment of dust particles from the surface should occur when the electrostatic forces of their repulsion <i>F<sub>c</sub></i> exceed the sum of the gravitation <i>F<sub>g</sub></i> forces and the adhesive van der Waals <i>F<sub>vdW</sub></i> forces acting on the particle on a nonconducting surface. However, a paradoxical situation usually arises: the three primary forces of different nature <i>F<sub>c</sub>, F<sub>g</sub>,</i> and <i>F<sub>vdW</sub></i>, acting on a speck of dust with a characteristic size of the order of hundreds or thousands of nanometers, are completely incomparable in magnitude, herewith <i>F<sub>c</sub></i> << <i>F<sub>g</sub> << F<sub>vdW</sub>.</i> In the last decade, numerous attempts have been made to explain how a particle on a nonconducting surface can acquire a charge sufficient for the electrostatic forces that arise to approach the adhesive forces’ values. However, despite some successes, many questions remain unanswered. This article presents a brief analysis of the charge appearance process on a solitary dust speck and a speck lying on the surface. To explain the detachment of dust particles from the surface caused by electrostatic forces and the accumulation of a charge on those particles sufficient for levitation, one should take into account the charge density fluctuations on the surface.https://www.mdpi.com/2571-6182/4/2/12dielectric in plasmacharge fluctuationsdust particlesdust sheddingdust levitation |
| spellingShingle | Alexander V. Zakharov Eugene V. Rosenfeld Charge Density Fluctuations on a Dielectric Surface Exposed to Plasma or UV Radiation Plasma dielectric in plasma charge fluctuations dust particles dust shedding dust levitation |
| title | Charge Density Fluctuations on a Dielectric Surface Exposed to Plasma or UV Radiation |
| title_full | Charge Density Fluctuations on a Dielectric Surface Exposed to Plasma or UV Radiation |
| title_fullStr | Charge Density Fluctuations on a Dielectric Surface Exposed to Plasma or UV Radiation |
| title_full_unstemmed | Charge Density Fluctuations on a Dielectric Surface Exposed to Plasma or UV Radiation |
| title_short | Charge Density Fluctuations on a Dielectric Surface Exposed to Plasma or UV Radiation |
| title_sort | charge density fluctuations on a dielectric surface exposed to plasma or uv radiation |
| topic | dielectric in plasma charge fluctuations dust particles dust shedding dust levitation |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2571-6182/4/2/12 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT alexandervzakharov chargedensityfluctuationsonadielectricsurfaceexposedtoplasmaoruvradiation AT eugenevrosenfeld chargedensityfluctuationsonadielectricsurfaceexposedtoplasmaoruvradiation |