An investigation on grain equilibrium potential in a plasma environment |
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| Authors: | M T Ahmadian T P Armstrong |
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| Institution: | (1) Department of Physics, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran;(2) Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kans., USA |
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| Abstract: | The charging of solid grains in a plasma environment is considered in this study. It is found that grains with zero initial potential gradually gain a negative potential and approach equilibrium. This potential depends most strongly on the plasma temperature. If secondary and photoemission of electrons from this grain is not considered, this equilibrium potential is about –2.7 times the plasma thermal energy. If secondary and photoemission is included, the grain can approach equilibrium at positive rather than negative potential. In this case the sign and the value of the equilibrium potential depends strongly on the material properties and to lesser extent on plasma temperature. This implies that grains of different composition can have different, possibly even opposite, equilibrium potentials in the same plasma environment. |
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