Initial Charge Distribution Research Articles

The effect of transport apertures on relay-imaged, sharp-edged laser profiles in photoinjectors and the impact on electron beam properties

In a photoinjector electron source, the initial transverse electron bunch properties are determined by the spatial properties of the laser beam on the photocathode. Spatial shaping of the laser is commonly achieved by relay imaging an illuminated circular mask onto the photocathode. However, the Gibbs phenomenon shows that recreating the sharp edge and discontinuity of the cut profile at the mask on the cathode is not possible with an optical relay of finite aperture. Furthermore, the practical injection of the laser into the photoinjector results in the beam passing through small or asymmetrically positioned apertures. This work uses wavefront propagation to show how the transport apertures cause ripple structures to appear in the transverse laser profile even when effectively the full laser power is transmitted. The impact of these structures on the propagated electron bunch has also been studied with electron bunches of high and low charge density. With high charge density, the ripples in the initial charge distribution rapidly wash-out through space charge effects. However, for bunches with low charge density, the ripples can persist through the bunch transport. Although statistical properties of the electron bunch in the cases studied are not greatly affected, there is the potential for the distorted electron bunch to negatively impact machine performance. Therefore, these effects should be considered in the design phase of accelerators using photoinjectors.

Modeling titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoclusters using a 2D sectional method with molecular dynamics (MD) determined coagulation rates

Accurate prediction of the particle size distribution (PSD) evolution of growing nanometer scale particles is important in designing gas-phase synthesis reactors for the production of nanomaterials. Towards improved predictions of growth, we model the evolution of the PSD of 1-4 nm TiO2 particles from the decomposition of titanium tetraisoproxide (TTIP) using a two-dimensional (2D) sectional method, uniquely with coagulation rates derived from molecular dynamics (MD) trajectory calculations which account for detailed particle–particle interactions. The PSDs predicted by the 2D sectional method are compared to recent experimental measurements of PSDs in the 1-3 nm range in a flow tube reactor. The nucleation of particles is modeled based on prior mobility measurements of ions attributed to TTIP and their decomposition, with the specific nucleation rate here fitted as a fraction of base nucleation rate (k) derived from these prior measurements. In the 2D sectional model, we examine the influence of the initial (nucleated) particle charge distribution on the PSD, with different coagulation rate coefficients for neutral-charged and charged-charged particle collisions. With the MD-derived coagulation rate coefficients, we find that using nucleation rate coefficients between 0.005k and 0.03k leads to strong agreement between modeled PSD and measured PSD for a wide variety of experimental residence times, initial TTIP concentrations and temperatures. Increasing the charge fraction from 0% (uncharged) to 80% (bipolar) does not result in a significant change in the PSD, because the particles rapidly self-neutralize through coagulation based on the simulation results. The results with MD-derived coagulation rate coefficients are compared to those of the sectional method with classical kinetic theory of gases (KTG) rates with a constant enhancement factor to account for potential interactions. Through comparison, we find that the predictions from the classical KTG model consistently exhibit weaker coagulation rates than the MD-derived model during the PSD evolution.

Aerosol charge neutralization and its impact on particle filtration efficiency of common face mask materials

Despite the significant increase in research on mask filtration testing since the COVID-19 pandemic, there remains considerable ambiguity regarding which parameters affect particle filtration efficiency (PFE) and how differences in standard testing protocols can lead to divergent PFE values. We evaluated the PFE (and differential pressure) of several common face masks and community face mask materials including woven cotton, spunbond polypropylene, and meltblown polypropylene, testing in accordance with ASTM F2100/2299 standards for medical masks, using polystyrene latex (PSL) aerosol, as well as NIOSH standards for respirators, using NaCl aerosol. In both cases, PFE was measured with and without aerosol charge neutralization, which is used to bring the particle population to a known, equilibrium bipolar charge distribution. Aerosols of either composition that were untreated (not neutralized) led to significant increases in measured PFE, especially in the case of PSL. In contrast, effective neutralization led to lower PFE measurements that also showed little to no dependence on aerosol composition across most materials. To investigate further, the bipolar charge distributions of PSL and NaCl aerosols, both neutralized and untreated, were characterized using an aerodynamic aerosol classifier operated in tandem with a scanning mobility particle sizer (AAC-SMPS). This technique illustrated the differences in the distribution of particle charge states between PSL and NaCl aerosols of the same size, and between PSL particles of different sizes, revealing the presence of highly charged particles in many cases. Most importantly, the equilibrium charge distribution after neutralization is shown to be independent of particle composition or initial charge distribution, highlighting the crucial role of aerosol charge neutralizers in preventing overestimates of mask performance (due to electrostatic effects) and promoting consistency in standard testing procedures.

The surface flashover process under positive lightning impulse voltage: initial stage and evolution

Surface flashover is a crucial issue in the field of electrical insulation, and it involves many complex physical processes. In this paper, the development process of the surface flashover was studied from different methods. The initial process of positive surface streamers in different gas environments (air, N2, CO2) was studied by photoelectric observation. The evolution of positive surface streamers in the air was described based on a 2D fluid model. The influence of the surface trap energy level on flashover development and the relationship between gas adsorption and surface trap energy level was discussed by density functional theory calculation preliminarily. The results showed that the initial ionization process of surface flashover is considered as the collision ionization between the initial electrons and gas molecules and photoionization of high-energy photons. Some of the high-energy photons can not only ionize some gas molecules but also cause the surface of the insulator to emit electrons (photoemission process), which could promote the development of the streamer. Both the ionization of the gas molecules and the photoelectric emission of the insulator surface may determine the initial development of surface flashover. During the process of the flashover, the electron density of the surface streamer (∼1021 m−3) is high and the main streamer tends to develop towards the insulator surface. The attraction of surface streamers changes with the position of the initial electron, and the positive surface charge brings the stronger ionization process, and the negative surface charge has the opposite effect. The band gap of the insulator surface is affected by the adsorption of gas molecules, which is considered as introducing shallow traps on the surface. For impulse voltage, the charge accumulation and internal charge migration may be not evident, the initial photoionization process and initial surface charge distribution affect the flashover process primarily.

Bremsstrahlung photons from stopping in heavy-ion collisions

We examine the spectrum of bremsstrahlung photons that results from the stopping of the initial net charge distributions in ultrarelativistic nucleus-nucleus collisions at the CERN Large Hadron Collier (LHC). This effect has escaped detection so far since it becomes sizable only at very low transverse momentum and at sufficiently forward rapidity. We argue that it may be within reach of the next-generation LHC heavy-ion detector ALICE-3 that is currently under study, and we comment on the physics motivation for measuring it.

Performance of Self-Powered, Water-Resistant Bending Sensor Using Transverse Piezoelectric Effect of Polypropylene Ferroelectret Polymer

The significant growth of wearable electronics is in constant search for optimizing systems with high flexibility and self-powering capacity. In this work, we utilize flexible polypropylene ferroelectret (PPFE) thin film polymer with the large transverse piezoelectric coefficient for bending curvature self-powered sensing. The electric energy comes from the geometry distortion of the built-in macro dipoles with initial surface charge distributions. Theoretical analysis based on constitutive electromechanical equations and bi-layer bending mechanics provide a detailed understanding of the sensing mechanism and its applicability. Different evaluation methods are used to have a more comprehensive understanding of the electromechanical responses under different bending conditions. It has been found that the velocity and magnitude of the mechanical input influence the average voltage output, while instantaneous voltage is not dependent on the latter. The robustness of the material is also investigated, where the device shows no performance degradation by immersion into the water up to 12 hours and under 10k bending cycles. Thermal stability tests reveal degradation starting at ~ 75°C and an immediate failure of the device at ~ 150°C. Finally, an application is demonstrated by showing the potential use of the characterized system as a self-powered sensor for athletic assessment.

Fast texture mapping for triangle soups using electrostatic monopole field lines

We present an efficient approach for the parameterization of triangle soups. Our technique tackles the problem by first approximating the triangle soup by a watertight 2-manifold offset mesh proxy. By establishing point correspondences between the triangle soup and the shape proxy by tracing electrostatic field lines in time O(kn) instead of O(kn2), we can transfer properties computed on the surface, such as UV-coordinates even for large input meshes. The technique can process large triangle soups by replacing the computational intensive physical calculations by approximations developed initially for large-scale physical simulations. Thus, it is possible to decrease the time complexity of the initial charge distribution algorithm from O(n3) to O(n). We demonstrate our method on a multitude of challenging triangle soups and focus on the transfer of UV-coordinates during our experiments. An intensive run-time analysis and a comparison of our results to state of the art techniques in standard modeling tools concludes our study.

Coexistence of distinct intramolecular electron transfer pathways in polyoxometalate based molecular triads.

Polyoxometalate (POM)-associated charge-separated states, formed by the photoinduced oxidation of a covalently attached photosensitizer and reduction of the POM, have attracted much attention due to the remarkable catalytic properties of the reduced POMs. However, short lifetimes of the POM-associated charge-separated state, which in some cases lead to the backward electron transfer being more rapid than the formation of the charge-separated state itself, are generally observed. Recently, we reported on the first example of a relative long-lived (τ = 470 ns) charge-separated state in a Ru(ii) bis(terpyridine)-POM molecular dyad. In this manuscript, further studies on extended molecular structures - two molecular triads - which contain an additional electron donor, phenothiazine (PTZ) or π-extended tetrathiafulvalene (exTTF), are discussed. We show that the excitation of the photosensitizer leads to the population of two distinct MLCT states, which differ in the distribution of excess electron density on the two distinct tpy ligands. These two MLCT states decay separately and, thus, constitute the starting points for distinct intramolecular electron-transfer pathways leading to the simultaneous population of two partially charge-separated states, i.e. PTZ˙+-Ru(tpy)2˙--POM and PTZ-RuIII(tpy)2-POM˙-. These independent decay pathways are unaffected by the choice of the electron donor. Thus, the initial charge distribution within the coordination environment of the photocenter determines the nature of the subsequent (partially) charge separated state that is formed in the triads. These results might open new avenues to design molecular interfaces, in which the directionality of electron transfer can be tuned by the choice of initial excitation.

Interaction of atomized colloid with an ac electric field in a dielectric barrier discharge reactor used for deposition of nanocomposite coatings

Nanocomposite thin films can be obtained by polymerization of a colloidal solution in a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) at atmospheric pressure. In such a process, the dispersion of nanoparticles into the matrix is driven by the charging, transport, and deposition dynamics of the atomized colloid. This work examines the interaction of atomized TiO2 nanoparticles with ac electric fields in a plane-to-plane dielectric barrier discharge reactor. Experiments are performed with the discharge off to examine transport and deposition phenomena over a wide range of experimental conditions with a fixed particle charge distribution. Scanning electron microscopy reveals that the size distribution of TiO2 nanoparticles collected at different locations along the substrate surface placed on the bottom electrode of the DBD reactor can judiciously be controlled by varying the amplitude and frequency of the ac electric field. These results are also compared to the predictions of a simple particle motion model accounting for the electrostatic force, the gravitational force, and the neutral drag force in the laminar flow. It is found that while the initial charge distribution of atomized particles strongly influences the total deposition yield, its maximal position on the substrate, and the width of the deposited area, the initial size distribution of the particles at the entrance of the reactor mostly changes the size distribution at each position along the substrate surface.

Self-Referenced Coherent Diffraction X-Ray Movie of Ångstrom- and Femtosecond-Scale Atomic Motion.

Time-resolved femtosecond x-ray diffraction patterns from laser-excited molecular iodine are used to create a movie of intramolecular motion with a temporal and spatial resolution of 30fs and 0.3Å. This high fidelity is due to interference between the nonstationary excitation and the stationary initial charge distribution. The initial state is used as the local oscillator for heterodyne amplification of the excited charge distribution to retrieve real-space movies of atomic motion on ångstrom and femtosecond scales. This x-ray interference has not been employed to image internal motion in molecules before. Coherent vibrational motion and dispersion, dissociation, and rotational dephasing are all clearly visible in the data, thereby demonstrating the stunning sensitivity of heterodyne methods.

Edge effects in vertically-oriented graphene based electric double-layer capacitors

Vertically-oriented graphenes (VGs) have been demonstrated as a promising active material for electric double-layer capacitors (EDLCs), partially due to their edge-enriched structure. In this work, the ’edge effects’, i.e., edges as the promoters of high capacitance, in VG based EDLCs are investigated with experimental research and numerical simulations. VGs with diverse heights (i.e., edge-to-basal ratios) and edge densities are prepared with varying the plasma-enabled growth time and employing different plasma sources. Electrochemical measurements show that the edges play a predominant role on the charge storage behavior of VGs. A simulation is further conducted to unveil the roles of the edges on the separation and adsorption of ions within VG channels. The initial charge distribution of a VG plane is obtained with density functional theory (DFT) calculations, which is subsequently applied to a molecular dynamics (MD) simulation system to gain the insights into the microscope EDLC structures. Compared with the basal planes, the edges present higher initial charge density (by 4.2 times), higher ion packing density (by 2.6 times), closer ion packing location (by 0.8 Å), and larger ion separation degree (by 14%). The as-obtained findings will be instructive in designing the morphology and structure of VGs for enhanced capacitive performances.

Charge neutralisation from the side surface of an insulating plate

This paper explores whether charge neutralisation from the side surface of an insulating plate is effective, on the basis of investigating the motion of positive and negative ions using 2-D numerical fluid simulations for different initial surface charge distributions and placements of an insulating plate to be neutralised.

Simulation of Dynamic Charging Processes in Ferroelectrics Irradiated with SEM

The paper presents some results of the dynamic simulation of charging processes in ferroelectrics exposed to electron beam of scanning electron microscope. The proposed approach is based on the joint numerical solution of the continuity equation and Poisson equation taking into account the intrinsic radiation-induced diffusion process. The dynamic model is combined with Monte-Carlo simulation of electron trajectories in an irradiated specimen to estimate the initial charge distribution function. The evaluated charging characteristics corresponding to experimental data specified for ferroelectric TGS electron beam-irradiated crystal are also described.

Simulation of Electron Injection and Charging Processes in Ferroelectrics Modified with the SEM-Techniques

The paper presents results of a computer simulation of dynamic processes caused by electron injection and charging-up effects in ferroelectrics irradiated by electron bunches with average energy. The implementation of electron transport simulation in ferroelectrics was performed by Monte-Carlo method to express the initial volume charge distribution. The calculation of charging characteristics was based on solution of Poisson equation using finite element method. The calculated distribution of potential as well as field intensity electron beam-induced for model sample were analyzed at given experimental parameters.

The influence of the breakdown electric field in the configuration of lightning corona sheath on charge distribution in the channel

A model of corona sheath that surrounds the thin core of the lightning channel has been investigated by using a generalized traveling current source return stroke model. The lightning channel is modeled by a charged corona sheath that stretches around a highly conductive central core through which the main current flows. The channel core with the negatively charged outer channel sheath forms a strong electric field, with an overall radial orientation. The return stroke process is modeled as the negative leader charge in the corona sheath being discharged by the positive charge coming from the channel core. Expressions that describe how the corona sheath radius evolves during the return stroke are obtained from the corona sheath model, which predicts charge motion within the sheath. The corona sheath model, set forth by Maslowski and Rakov (2006), Tausanovic et al. (2010), Marjanovic and Cvetic (2009), Cvetic et al. (2011) and Cvetic et al. (2012), divides the sheath onto three zones: zone 1 (surrounding the channel core with net positive charge), zone 2 (surrounding zone 1 with negative charge) and zone 3 (the outer zone, representing uncharged virgin air). In the present study, we have assumed a constant electric field inside zone 1, as suggested by experimental research of corona discharges in coaxial geometry conducted by Cooray (2000). The present investigation builds upon previous studies by Tausanovic et al. (2010) and Cvetic et al. (2012) in several ways. The value of the breakdown electric field has been varied for probing its effect on channel charge distribution prior and during the return stroke. With the aim of investigating initial space charge distribution along the channel, total electric field at the outer surface of the channel corona sheath, just before the return stroke, is calculated and compared for various return stroke models. A self-consistent algorithm is applied to the generalized traveling current source return stroke model, so that the boundary condition for total electric field is fulfilled. The new density of space charge and the new radius of channel corona envelope, immediately before the return stroke stage, are calculated. The obtained results indicate a strong dependence of channel charge distribution on the breakdown electric field value. Among the compared return stroke models, transmission-line-type models have exhibited a good agreement with the predictions of the Gauss' law regarding total breakdown electric field on the corona sheath's outer surface. The generalized lightning traveling current source return stroke model gives similar results if the adjustment of the space charge density inside the corona sheath is performed.

Exact solution in the form of a shock wave for the Maxwell and gravitomagnetism equations

Over the last halfcentury , much attention in vari� ous fields of mathematical and theoretical physics (1-3) and in applied mathematics (4-7) has been given to approaches providing mathematically rigor� ous results, namely, to the search for exactly solvable models and to rigorous formulations of the original equations of such models as based on fundamental principles. In this work, the method of characteristics is used to construct exact solutions of model problems described by the Maxwell and gravitomagnetism equa� tions for the evolution of the charge or mass density function in spherical or infinite cylindrical domains. The initial charge or mass density distribution in such a domain is radially symmetric, i.e., depends only the radius . In the case of an inhomogeneous initial charge or mass density distribution, we show the existence of a shock wave solution ( Ψ�effect).

Physical and mathematical modeling of the electron-beam-induced charging of ferroelectrics during the process of domain-structure switching

The results of modeling the dynamic charging processes that arise when ferroelectrics are under the action of an electron beam in a scanning electron microscope are presented. Implementation of the model is based on simultaneous solution of the continuity equation and Poisson equation with allowance for the radiation-stimulated intrinsic conductivity of the irradiated sample and with an initial charge distribution determined using the Monte Carlo method. The multidimensional boundary evolutionary problem is solved using grid methods. The model permits one to study the dynamics of the process of the electron-beam-induced charging of ferroelectrics. Estimates for the values of fields generated by charges accumulated during the irradiation process are presented for a set of modeling parameters corresponding to physical data obtained in experimental observations of the polarization switch for a ferroelectric lithium niobate crystal.

Electrostatic tip-dielectric sample interaction in electrostatic force microscopy

Electric force microscopy is a local technique for measuring electrical properties of materials. The electrostatic force gradient measurements on dielectric samples are sensitive not only to the initial charge distribution in the sample but also to the charge induced by the conductive bias cantilever. Interpreting the contribution of each single effect on the charge distribution images is a challenge in the existing EFM technique. Here, a theoretical model is introduced to study the charge and induction effect on charged dielectric samples and commercial geometries for EFM tips. This model estimates the initial charge of the sample based on force gradient measurements. Gradient force results reproduce experimental measurements performed on electrets samples.

Computer simulations of insulator charge neutralisations with a corona ioniser – Influence of initial surface charge distribution

Abstract This is a report of a numerical investigation of the phenomena of charge neutralisations of an insulating plate with different initial surface charge distributions with the use of a continuously balanced DC ioniser. The early phase phenomena of the insulator charge neutralisation are complicated and depend significantly on the relationship between the initial surface charge distribution and ioniser placement. In addition, the results of simulations demonstrate that ionisers themselves can cause over-neutralisation during the early phase of neutralisation; however, when ions can move towards the opposite side of the plate, the ioniser can eliminate the over-neutralised charges. We propose having the ioniser face the charged side of an insulator to avoid such problems.

Assessing structural bonding aspects of multiband superconductors through impurity‐induced local lattice distortions: A case study on MgB2

AbstractTo examine how a change in the host cation affects the structural and bonding properties of the local ionic environment, we have performed a series of ab initio simulations of substitutional impurities such as zinc, copper, and zirconium ions incorporated into the magnesium sublattice of MgB2. It was shown that at a low doping level, the induced lattice distortions and additional forces are noticeable small. For the given set of substituents, it was also determined how the impurity ion modifies the initial charge distribution around the host cation position and therefore, affects both the overall picture of the electronic states involved in the chemical bonding and the intrinsic charge‐transfer channels. In the context of the cation properties, by analyzing specific changes in local charge structures caused by the presence of the impurity, the existence of two different trends in the Mg‐site substitution effect was found and discussed. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.