Electrostatic Potential Well Research Articles

Electrical properties enhancement of dually grafting modification for polypropylene cable insulation

AbstractPolypropylene (PP) is believed to be a rather promising cable insulating material for high‐capacity electric power system with low carbon emission due to its decent thermo‐resistance and recyclable nature. In this paper, a new dually chemical grafting modification strategy by methyl acrylate (MA) and acrylic acid (AA) is put forward to tailor the charge transportation behavior in PP, thus further enhancing the electrical properties. Experimental results indicate that the dually grafted PP with 2.3 weight percent (wt%) MA and 1.9 wt% AA shows enhanced volume resistivity and electrical breakdown strength than pure PP, and the space charge injection is significantly suppressed. This work further adopts thermally stimulated depolarization current (TSDC) test and computational analysis based on density functional theory (DFT) to reveal the mechanism of enhancement. The analysis shows that grafted chemical groups can introduce quantities of deep traps and electrostatic potential wells which are strongly correlated with the carbonyl group and would hinder the charge transportation thus improving the electrical insulating performances of PP. This work would provide a new route of PP‐based dually grafting modification for the development of high‐voltage cable insulation.

A particle-in-cell study of electrostatic potential well formation in an edge-confined non-neutral plasma

A particle-in-cell study of electrostatic potential well formation in an edge-confined non-neutral plasma

Femtosecond Dynamics of Fast Electron Pulses in Relativistic Laser-Foil Interactions.

We report the femtosecond time-resolved dynamics of relativistic electron pulses in ultraintense laser-foil interactions, by characterizing the terahertz self-radiation with single-shot ultrabroadband interferometry. Experimental measurements together with theoretical modeling reveal that the electron pulses inherit the duration of the driving laser pulse. We also visualize the electron recirculation dynamics, where electrons remain trapped inside the self-generated electrostatic potential well and rebound back and forth around the thin foil for hundreds of femtoseconds. Our results not only demonstrate an insitu, real-time metrology scheme for electron bursts, but also have important implications for understanding and manipulating the time-domain properties of laser-driven particle and radiation sources.

Single-shot fast cinematic imaging during merging process of multiple electron filaments in electrostatic potential well.

For the first time, details of the spatial and temporal acceptable evolution of the merging process of co-rotating electron vortices in a potential well are successfully captured using a "single-shot method" with a high temporal resolution of 10 µs. Four-electron filaments are trapped inside the Beam eXperiment-Upgrade linear trap [H. Himura, Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. A 811, 100 (2016)] with a uniform axial magnetic field and co-axial multi-ring electrodes. Images of non-emitting electron filaments are captured using a high-speed camera with up to 1 000 000fps, a microchannel plate, a fast-decay phosphor screen of which fluorescence duration is 0.15 µs, and a super fine metallic mesh with an open area ratio of 89%. Images captured every 10 µs clearly show the growth of multiple short-wave instabilities in the wing trailing electron vortices. The experimental methods and measurement techniques presented in this paper can contribute to revealing exactly how small vortices evolve into a large structure or turbulence in a potential well through complex processes.

Multifunctional droplet handling on surface-charge-graphic-decorated porous papers.

Developing a fluidic platform that combines high-throughput with reconfigurability is essential for a wide range of cutting-edge applications, but achieving both capabilities simultaneously remains a significant challenge. Herein, we propose a novel and unique method for droplet manipulation via drawing surface charge graphics on electrode-free papers in a contactless way. We find that opposite charge graphics can be written and retained on the surface layer of porous insulating paper by a controlled charge depositing method. The retained charge graphics result in high-resolution patterning of electrostatic potential wells (EPWs) on the hydrophobic porous surface, allowing for digital and high-throughput droplet handling. Since the charge graphics can be written/projected dynamically and simultaneously in large areas, allowing for on-demand and real-time reconfiguration of EPWs, we are able to develop a charge-graphic fluidic platform with both high reconfigurability and high throughput. The advantages and application potential of the platform have been demonstrated in chemical detection and dynamically controllable fluidic networks.

Bound states of Dirac fermions in the presence of a Fermi velocity modulation

We investigate the effect of a position-dependent Fermi velocity on the electronic properties of two-dimensional Dirac materials. A physical Fermi velocity distribution, which approaches a finite value at infinity and experiences a modulation near x = 0, is considered. Such a position-dependent Fermi velocity could be realized in the curved graphene or by applying strain. It is shown that the bound states are absent in the presence of a pure Fermi velocity modulation without an electrostatic potential well. However, an extra electrostatic potential modulation could produce the bound states. A set of discrete energy level spectrum and the corresponding wave functions are obtained by solving the Dirac equation exactly. Local probes such as scanning tunnel microscopy should be able to observe the predicted bound states in two-dimensional materials.

A Marcus-Type Inverted Region in the Translocation Kinetics of a Knotted Protein.

Knotted proteins are rare but important species, yet how their complex topologies affect their physical properties is not fully understood. Here we combine single molecule nanopore experiments and all-atom MD simulations to study the electric-field-driven unfolding during the translocation through a model pore of individual protein knots important for methylating tRNA. One of these knots shows an unusual behavior that resembles the behavior of electrons hopping between two potential surfaces: as the electric potential driving the translocation reaction is increased, the rate eventually plateaus or slows back down in the "Marcus inverted regime". Our results shed light on the influence of topology in knotted proteins on their forced translocation through a pore connecting two electrostatic potential wells.

Programmable Assembly of Colloidal Nanoparticles Controlled by Electrostatic Potential Well

Electrostatic Potential Wells In article number 2200066, Lin Jiang and co-workers report a bowl-shaped electrostatic potential well which can be formed based on the combined effects of a positively charged nanoparticle and a negatively charged substrate. The regulation of substrate potential changes the state of the electrostatic potential well, thus controlling the rationed capture of negatively charged nanoparticles and the programmable assembly of the colloidal nanostructures.

Programmable Assembly of Colloidal Nanoparticles Controlled by Electrostatic Potential Well

Compared with the individual colloidal nanoparticles, programmable nanoassemblies with well‐defined configurations exhibit more prominent coupling effects and collective behaviors. The full realization of the unique superiority of these nano assemblies requires the development of feasible approaches to assemble colloidal nanoparticles into an organized nanostructure on substrates, which remains a major challenge in nanotechnology at present. Herein, a facile strategy is developed to programmatically design diversified nanostructures through the rational capture of nanoparticles with flexibly adjustable particle types, including their sizes, shapes, or components. Importantly, such a strategy takes advantage of a bowl‐shaped electrostatic potential well that forms based on the combination of a positively charged nanoparticle and a negatively charged substrate, where theory and simulation are employed to reveal the notable role of the substrate potential. As a demonstration, a series of nanostructures with customized geometries and locations have been successfully fabricated, especially the asymmetric dimer structures, which bring about distinct localized surface plasmon resonance hybridization and coupling effects. Therefore, the joint computational–experimental showcase paves the way toward the preparation of ideal nanostructures, providing valuable insight into the development of optical encryption, smart sensing, sensitive bio‐detection, and so on.

Electrostatic tunability of charged, binary nanoparticle assemblies in dielectric colloidal systems

Charged nanoparticles exhibit anomalous electrostatic interactions, which can lead to stable, non-touching equilibria in inverted dielectric systems. In this study, we analytically demonstrate minimum-potential energy configurations for binary systems of charged nanoparticles and control of constituent spacing by externally applied electrostatic fields. The field–matter interactions are governed by the electrostatic forces of high order multipoles induced by the charged nanoparticles submerged in dielectric liquids. The particles bind in non-touching configurations due to electrostatic potential wells for each particle induced by other dissimilar particles in their vicinity. Such binary systems are proposed as building blocks with the potential of electromagnetic tunability of novel photonic surfaces.

DC corral trapping of single nanoparticles and macromolecules in solution.

Progress in sorting, separating, and characterizing ever smaller amounts of chemical and biological material depends on the availability of methods for the controlled interaction with nanoscale and molecular-size objects. Here, we report on the reversible, tunable trapping of single DNA molecules and other charged micro- and nanoparticles in aqueous solution using a direct-current (DC) corral trap setup. The trap consists of a circular, non-conductive void in a metal-coated surface that, when charged, generates an electrostatic potential well in the proximate solution. Our results demonstrate that stable, nanoscale confinement of charged objects is achievable over extended periods of time, that trap stiffness is controlled by the applied voltage, and that simultaneous trapping of multiple objects is feasible. The approach shows great promise for lab-on-a-chip systems and biomedical applications due to its simplicity, scalability, selectivity, and the capability to manipulate single DNA molecules in standard buffer solutions.

Electric potential in a magnetically confined virtual cathode fusion device

The magnetically confined virtual cathode (MCVC) is an approach to nuclear fusion in which multipole magnetic traps are used to confine a dense cloud of electrons and thereby establish a deep electrostatic potential well for the heating and trapping of ions. We describe preliminary studies conducted in MCVC-0, a two-coil, biconic cusp trap, in which high impedance, floating Langmuir probe measurements were used to characterize the electrostatic potential. Contrary to previous studies in six-coil “polywell” devices, no potential well formation was observed and this is attributed to the particular configuration of magnetic fields within the new device. A computational model was developed, based on the anisotropic electrical conductivity of discharge plasmas within magnetic fields, and shown to accurately describe the obtained experimental results. Electrostatic boundaries that were intersected by magnetic field lines were found to strongly dominate the form of the electric potential within the device, with strong implications for the design of future MCVC/polywell machines.

Balancing differential drag with Coulomb repulsion in low earth orbit plasma wakes

A novel method for close-proximity formation flying under differential atmospheric drag using Coulomb forces is investigated for applications in Earth sensing, space-situational awareness (SSA), and aeronomy. Objects in LEO are supersonic with respect to the ambient environment, creating a thinned out wake region behind the craft as it travels through the ionosphere. Objects within this wake experience little drag acceleration and are able to attain voltages much greater than in the ambient ionospheric plasma, creating implications for the design and control of close-proximity leader–follower spacecraft pairs. The proposed system consists of a leader craft with a set of affixed, conducting spheres and a charged follower craft located in the wake of the leader. The differential drag acceleration between the leader and follower craft is countered by a controlled Coulomb repulsion to maintain precise separation. The charged structure on the rear of the leader craft is designed such that the charged follower craft sits in an electrostatic potential well which opposes off-axis perturbations. A conceptual method for controlling such a pair without the use of propellant using a set of charged spheres is investigated, with nonlinear models of the system’s relative motion derived and discussed. Linearized models are used to demonstrate the local controllability of the system to demonstrate the proposed system’s merit. This linear analysis is used to derive conditions on controllability and control performance under different charge geometries and environmental assumptions.

More about hot electrons between cold walls

This paper adds new findings to the recently described hampering of electron cooling by electron trapping in a developing electrostatic potential well between the two cold walls [D. I. Kiramov and B. N. Breizman, Phys. Plasmas 27, 022302 (2020)]. We show that the self-consistent process of the potential well formation and electron trapping is tractable analytically when the end walls reflect most of the incoming electrons. For immobile ions, this process creates a steady-state that retains a significant fraction of the initial electron kinetic energy. We also describe the subsequent slow decay of the system due to ion motion.

Some Energy Issues for a Nanoscale Electrostatic Potential Well in Saline Solutions

An electrostatic potential well may be applied to trap and manipulate charged micro- and nanoparticles. An electrostatic potential well obtained from a certain charge distribution may be used to mimic the electrostatic interactions among biomolecules in live biosystems. In this study, we present a simulation study on the trapping performance of dipole clusters, which are arranged in 10 nm-sized, pentagon-shaped structures in a saline solution. The influence of electrostatic energy, entropy, and van der Waals interaction on the trapping performance of these nanostructures is then systematically calculated. The results show that the electrostatic potential well system demonstrated a moderate trapping capability, which could be enhanced using van der Waals interactions. The entropy significantly contributes to the trapping capability. This study offers some ideas for developing practical biomimetic electrostatic tweezers and nanorobots working in an ionic solution.

3D-Graphene/Boron Nitride-stacking Material: a Fundamental van der Waals Heterostructure

The 3D periodic graphene/h-BN(G/BN) heterostuctures were studied. The stacking forms between the graphene and h-BN layers were discussed. The varieties of the geometric and electronic configurations at the inter-face between graphene and h-BN layers were also reported. The metal-semiconductor transform of the G/BN material can be achieved by adjusting the stacking form of the h-BN layers or changing the proportion of graphene layers in the unit cell. An electrostatic potential well was found at the interface. Due to the potential well and the only dispersion correlation at the interface, the dielectric constant e zz in vertical direction was independent on the variety of the thickness or the proportion of the compositions in an unit cell.

Lattice diffusion of a single molecule in solution.

The ability to trap a single molecule in an electrostatic potential well in solution has opened up new possibilities for the use of molecular electrical charge to study macromolecular conformation and dynamics at the level of the single entity. Here we study the diffusion of a single macromolecule in a two-dimensional lattice of electrostatic traps in solution. We report the ability to measure both the size and effective electrical charge of a macromolecule by observing single-molecule transport trajectories, typically a few seconds in length, using fluorescence microscopy. While, as shown previously, the time spent by the molecule in a trap is a strong function of its effective charge, we demonstrate here that the average travel time between traps in the landscape yields its hydrodynamic radius. Tailoring the pitch of the lattice thus yields two different experimentally measurable time scales that together uniquely determine both the size and charge of the molecule. Since no information is required on the location of the molecule between consecutive departure and arrival events at lattice sites, the technique is ideally suited to measurements on weakly emitting entities such as single molecules.

Time-dependent potential functions to stretch the time distributions of ion pulses ejected from EBIST

Electron beam ion sources and traps (EBIST) produce and trap highly charged atomic ions with an electron beam of high current density. The ions are confined in the radial space-charge potential of the electron beam and a long square-shaped axial electrostatic potential well. An important field of application of EBIST is charge breeding of highly charged ions at radioactive ion beam facilities. There, highly charged radioactive isotopes are accelerated by particle accelerators for experiments in nuclear astrophysics and to study the structure of unstable nuclei. The width in time of the ion pulses ejected from EBIST can often contain too many ions for nuclear physics detection systems to efficiently detect all single radioactive isotopes or related events. Neglecting the influence of ion–ion collisions on the extraction rate, this publication derives, for different initial thermal energy distributions of the trapped ions, the time-dependent trap-opening functions to stretch the time distribution of ion pulses ejected from an EBIST trapping potential for the release of ions at a constant rate over an extended extraction period.

Transport and trapping of dust particles in a potential well created by inductively coupled diffused plasmas.

A versatile linear dusty (complex) plasma device is designed to study the transport and dynamical behavior of dust particles in a large volume. Diffused inductively coupled plasma is generated in the background of argon gas. A novel technique is used to introduce the dust particles in the main plasma by striking a secondary direct current glow discharge. These dust particles are found to get trapped in an electrostatic potential well, which is formed due to the combination of the ambipolar electric field caused by diffusive plasma and the field produced by the charged glass wall of the vacuum chamber. According to the requirements, the volume of the dust cloud can be controlled very precisely by tuning the plasma and discharge parameters. The present device can be used to address the underlying physics behind the transport of dust particles, self-excited dust acoustic waves, and instabilities. The detailed design of this device, plasma production and characterization, trapping and transport of the dust particle, and some of the preliminary experimental results are presented.

Confinement of antiprotons in the electrostatic space charge of positrons in a model of the ALPHA antihydrogen trap

The equilibrium of a positron plasma in a model of the ALPHA apparatus is computed using a finite-difference method. The positron plasma in the model extends to axial magnetic mirrors in absence of an octupole field. Formation of a three-dimensional electrostatic potential well is found to occur self-consistently. Well depths under various conditions are evaluated. Also, the equilibrium with an antiproton plasma confined in the potential well is computed. Conditions from the two species case are used to estimate timescales associated with three-body recombination, antiproton loss, and temperature equilibration. An equilibrium where the three-body recombination timescale is the smallest of the three is identified.