Energy relaxation in a vacuum capacitor-resistor circuit: measurement of multiple decays with divergent time constants
The decay of the electrical energy in a resistor-vacuum capacitor circuit is shown to involve multiple relaxation processes, with dramatically different time constants. This is measured using a vacuum capacitor to eliminate the effect of a dielectric between the plates (polypropylene capacitors are...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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AIP Publishing LLC
2024-03-01
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| Series: | AIP Advances |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/5.0190681 |
| _version_ | 1797227580000043008 |
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| author | Frank V. Kowalski |
| author_facet | Frank V. Kowalski |
| author_sort | Frank V. Kowalski |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The decay of the electrical energy in a resistor-vacuum capacitor circuit is shown to involve multiple relaxation processes, with dramatically different time constants. This is measured using a vacuum capacitor to eliminate the effect of a dielectric between the plates (polypropylene capacitors are shown to exhibit similar behavior). A simple phenomenological model accounts for this behavior in spite of the difficulty in applying Maxwell's equations to such a circuit. These results will lead to a revision of our understanding of the physics of circuits, having particular impact on applications that use capacitors as sensors in collecting precision data (such as found in quantum measurements and dielectric spectroscopy). |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T14:43:03Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-abc3752b21ec4dd09ab55a207a653084 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2158-3226 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T14:43:03Z |
| publishDate | 2024-03-01 |
| publisher | AIP Publishing LLC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | AIP Advances |
| spelling | doaj.art-abc3752b21ec4dd09ab55a207a6530842024-04-02T20:29:18ZengAIP Publishing LLCAIP Advances2158-32262024-03-01143035154035154-710.1063/5.0190681Energy relaxation in a vacuum capacitor-resistor circuit: measurement of multiple decays with divergent time constantsFrank V. Kowalski0Physics Department, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado 80401, USAThe decay of the electrical energy in a resistor-vacuum capacitor circuit is shown to involve multiple relaxation processes, with dramatically different time constants. This is measured using a vacuum capacitor to eliminate the effect of a dielectric between the plates (polypropylene capacitors are shown to exhibit similar behavior). A simple phenomenological model accounts for this behavior in spite of the difficulty in applying Maxwell's equations to such a circuit. These results will lead to a revision of our understanding of the physics of circuits, having particular impact on applications that use capacitors as sensors in collecting precision data (such as found in quantum measurements and dielectric spectroscopy).http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/5.0190681 |
| spellingShingle | Frank V. Kowalski Energy relaxation in a vacuum capacitor-resistor circuit: measurement of multiple decays with divergent time constants AIP Advances |
| title | Energy relaxation in a vacuum capacitor-resistor circuit: measurement of multiple decays with divergent time constants |
| title_full | Energy relaxation in a vacuum capacitor-resistor circuit: measurement of multiple decays with divergent time constants |
| title_fullStr | Energy relaxation in a vacuum capacitor-resistor circuit: measurement of multiple decays with divergent time constants |
| title_full_unstemmed | Energy relaxation in a vacuum capacitor-resistor circuit: measurement of multiple decays with divergent time constants |
| title_short | Energy relaxation in a vacuum capacitor-resistor circuit: measurement of multiple decays with divergent time constants |
| title_sort | energy relaxation in a vacuum capacitor resistor circuit measurement of multiple decays with divergent time constants |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/5.0190681 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT frankvkowalski energyrelaxationinavacuumcapacitorresistorcircuitmeasurementofmultipledecayswithdivergenttimeconstants |