Interaction energy in the Poisson–Boltzmann plus hole approximation in asymmetric complex plasmas

Abstract

AbstractWe analyse two‐component electroneutral systems of classical finite‐sized macroions with the charge Z ≫ 1 and point oppositely charged microions with a unit charge. The article deals with a modification of the Debye–Hückel plus hole approximation when nonlinear screening effect is taken into account in asymmetric complex plasmas. We calculate the interaction energy in the Poisson–Boltzmann plus hole approximation considering the interaction of all particles (both inside and outside the hole). This energy has a greater value than some previous results. In addition, we subdivide all hole microions into two types, free microions and bound ones, and show a significant reduction of an effective macroion charge Z* in comparison with its initial charge Z due to the nonlinear screening by a thin high‐concentration bound microions envelope. We demonstrate that this procedure increases the Debye radius that takes the screening by microions and macroions outside the hole into account.