Electrical conduction in a semicrystalline polyethylene terephthalate in high electric field

Measurements of conduction currents were carried out on polyethylene terephthalate semi crystalline PET in an electrical field region varying from 40 to 260 V/μm. Various mechanisms of conduction (Richardson-Schottky, Fowler-Nordheim, Poole-Frenkel, space charge limited current SCLC, Hopping), can cause non-linear characteristics. To highlight the mechanism responsible for conduction in the PET, we used the slope of the experimental curve Log(J)=f(E) in the region 150<E<260 V/μm, to calculate the value of the dielectric permittivity. The characteristic curve Log(J)=f(1/T) shows that the Poole-Frenkel mechanism of conduction is prevalent in the semi crystalline PET. The characteristic J=f(E) for various thicknesses shows that the field threshold increases with the thickness.     

Cloaking magnetic field and generating electric field with topological insulator and high permeability material

Topological insulator is a new state of quantum matter. When applied magnetic field is applied on a topological insulator, not only the magnetic field is induced, but also the electric field is induced, vice versa. We designed bi-layer magnetic cloak with topological insulator and high permeability material (HPM), derived the electric field and magnetic field inside and outside the bi-layer topological insulator and HPM. Calculation and simulation results show that the applied magnetic field is cloaked by the bi-layer topological insulator and HPM, and the uniform electric field is induced in the cloaked region.     

On the instability of the one-dimensional Peierls insulator in uniform electric field

Behaviour of the quasi-one-dimensional Peierls insulator (PI) with a doubled lattice period (of the trans-polyacetylene type) is studied in the uniform electric field The electric field polarizes the insulator thus decreasing the gap Δ in the quasiparticle spectrum and creates by tunnelling charge carriers pairs. Depending on the field strength direct creation of soliton-antisoliton pairs or electron-hole pairs (e-h) takes place. The (e-h) pairs deform the lattice forming polarons. For the cis-type polyacetylene the superinsulator phase with soliton confinement exists. The latter is characterized by a great number of soliton-antisoliton quantum levels. Because of the charges generation the process of insulator-to-metal transition becomes continuous.     

Crossing electric and magnetic field dependence of non-metallic conduction in a two-dimensional random system

We present a calculation of the non-metallic conductivity σ′ under crossing electric and magnetic fields of finite strengths. It is expressed by a universal function of three parameters ηθτ/τ(T), εθE/E₀ and hθH/H₀, where E₀=ρ6n?evFτ², H₀=cn?ev_F²τ², and τ and τ_ε (T) are relaxation times. The logarithmic dependence of σ' on ε or h is weakened slightly in the crossing field geometry.     

On the hopping conduction mechanism of amorphous semiconductors in a strong electric field

The theory of the hopping conduction by the radiative tunnel transitions (RTT) in a strong electric field is applied to amorphous silicon and germanium. On the basis of numerical estimations we suggest that the relative contribution of the RTT mechanism into the total strong electric field hopping conductivity of an amorphous semiconductor could be significant.     

Electric convection in a nematic liquid crystal in a varying electric field

The emergence of electric convection in a nematic liquid crystal under the action of a varying electric field is analyzed in the 1D approximation. A new mode of external field variation with subharmonic oscillations is proposed. The behavior of several classes of synchronous perturbations and subharmonic oscillations is analyzed; the evolution of the fields of the director and of the volume charge is studied. Parametric instability regions are specified and the critical frequencies of transitions between response modes are determined. Stability maps for a nematic liquid crystal are plotted on the frequency-amplitude plane.     

Surface flow of liquid in an electric field

An analytic solution is proposed for a model problem which demonstrates the occurrence of a surface flow of weakly conducting liquid in an electric field which was previously observed experimentally by the author. Zh. Tekh. Fiz. 69, 127–128 (June 1999)     

Dynamics of electroconvective nematic liquid crystal structures in a nonharmonic electric field

The emergence of electroconvection in a nematic liquid crystal under the action of a nonharmonic electric field is investigated. Analysis is carried out using a 2D model. We propose new forms of the varying electric field acting on the system, for which subharmonic oscillations exist: (a) electric field of a trapezoidal form and (b) external field varying in accordance with the law of “joined cosines.” The behavior of synchronous excitations in the insulating and conducting regimes, as well as subharmonic oscillations, is analyzed. The parametric instability domains are found, and the critical frequencies of transition between different response regimes are determined. The stability maps of the nematic liquid crystal are constructed on the frequency-voltage amplitude plane.     

Equilibrium configurations of uncharged conducting liquid jets in a transverse electric field

Solutions for the problem on the equilibrium configurations of uncharged conducting liquid jets in a transverse electric field are obtained. These solutions correspond to finite-amplitude non-axisymmetric azimuthal deformations of the surface of a round jet: the jet is stretched along the field in its cross-section. The range of electric fields is determined for which solutions of the problem exist. If the electric field strength is over some critical value, the electrostatic equations have no solution, and the jet splits. The obtained solutions are qualitatively examined for stability under small azimuthal perturbations.     

基于克尔效应的真空绝缘子表面电场在线测量

克尔效应(Kerr Effect)作为一种电光效应,主要表现为:克尔介质在外加电场作用下,会使得入射到其中的探测光带有外加电场的信息.基于上述原理,设计并搭建了由快脉冲高电压源、YAG激光器、同步控制子系统、被测绝缘子及克尔效应单元、相位差检测子系统构成的真空绝缘子表面电场在线测量实验平台.通过对比性测量,观察到了真空绝缘子沿面带电导致的表面电场畸变现象.并进一步对绝缘子表面电场的畸变进行了时间分辨测量.     

Ultrahigh sensitivity electric field detection with a liquid electro-optical film

In this Letter, an electro-optical probe configuration with polar molecule liquids as the sensing film is proposed to improve the voltage sensitivity. This method exhibited increases in intrinsic sensitivities better than 0.1 mV/√Hz, 2 orders of magnitude larger than the normal method using a GaAs probe in the same measurement system. Based on the mechanism of orientation polarization, the electro-optic coefficient was measured to be 250 pm/V by the Teng-Man method at a modulation field of 100 Hz. This technology will be promising in applications of low-frequency field detection.     

Equilibrium configurations of the conducting liquid surface in a nonuniform electric field

Possible equilibrium configurations of the free surface of a conducting liquid deformed by a nonuniform external electric field are investigated. The liquid rests on an electrode that has the shape of a dihedral angle formed by two intersecting equipotential half-planes (conducting wedge). It is assumed that the problem has plane symmetry: the surface is invariant under shift along the edge of the dihedral angle. A one-parametric family of exact solutions for the shape of the surface is found in which the opening angle of the region above the wedge serves as a parameter. The solutions are valid when the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the liquid is zero. For an arbitrary pressure difference, approximate solutions to the problem are constructed and it is demonstrated the approximation error is small. It is found that, when the potential difference exceeds a certain threshold value, equilibrium solutions are absent. In this case, the region occupied by the liquid disintegrates, the disintegration scenario depending on the opening angle.     

Deformation of a pretilted nematic liquid crystal layer in an electric field

The deformation of the optical axis of a nematic liquid crystal layer under the influence of an electric field is caused by the dielectric torque. This momentum counteracts with an elastic torque generated by interfacial forces between the surface of the electrode and the liquid crystal. By means of a variational analysis, the deformation profiles within the liquid crystal layer are calculated, assuming large interfacial energies and various angles of pretilt of the liquid crystal directors with respect to the electrodes. Both the extreme case of a homeotropic (vertical) alignment on one electrode and a homogeneous (parallel) alignment on the opposite electrode, as well as the general case of arbitrary and different alignments on both electrodes, lead to heavily pretilted liquid crystal layers, resulting in definite deformation profiles without disclinations. Liquid crystal cells prepared in this way neither show threshold voltages nor delay times when electrical fields are applied. Measured and calculated characteristics of such liquid crystal cells are presented, they show good agreement.     

Dispersion of a charged gas bubble in a liquid dielectric in an electric field

Onsager’s principle of minimum energy dissipation in nonequilibrium processes is applied to calculate the characteristics of a surface-conducting charged bubble breakup in a liquid dielectric in a uniform electrostatic field. The domains of physical parameters are determined in which daughter bubbles are ejected from both apexes and are not ejected from only one apex.     

Dielectrophoresis and deformation of a liquid drop in a non-uniform, axisymmetric AC electric field

Analytical theory for the dielectrophoresis and deformation of a leaky dielectric drop, suspended in a leaky dielectric medium, subjected to non-uniform, axisymmetric Alternating Current (AC) fields is presented in the small deformation limit. The applied field is assumed to be a combination of a uniform part and a quadrupole component. The analysis shows that the magnitude and the sign of the steady and time-periodic dielectrophoretic velocity depend upon the frequency of the applied voltage. The frequency of oscillatory motion is twice that of the applied frequency and the phase lag is a consequence of charge dynamics. A deformed drop under non-uniform axisymmetric AC fields admits Legendre modes l = 2, 3, 4 . The deformation has a frequency-dependent steady and time-periodic parts due to charge and interface dynamics. The steady deformation can be zero at a certain critical frequency in leaky dielectric systems. The time-periodic deformation also has a frequency which is twice the frequency of the applied voltage. In perfect dielectric systems, unlike the steady state deformation which is a balance of Maxwell and curvature stresses, the time-periodic deformation additionally includes viscous stresses associated with the oscillatory shape changes of the drop. A consequence of this effect is a phase lag that is dependent on the charge and interface hydrodynamics and a lag of π/2 at high frequencies. It also results in vanishing amplitude of the oscillatory deformation at high frequencies. The study should lead to a better understanding of dielectrophoresis under non-uniform axisymmetric AC fields and better electrode design to affect drop breakup.     

Dynamics of the free surface of a conducting liquid in a near-critical electric field

Near-critical behavior of the free surface of a perfectly conducting liquid in an external electric field is considered. Based on an analysis of three-wave processes using the method of integral estimates, sufficient criteria for hard instability of a planar surface are formulated. It is shown that the higher-order nonlinearities do not saturate the instability, for which reason the growth of disturbances has an explosive character.     

Multiple surface conduction channels via topological insulator and amorphous insulator thin film multi-stacks

Multi-channel Bi₂Se₃ thin films were grown by combining molecular beam epitaxy and atomic layer deposition. High-resolution transmission electron microscope images showed that c-axis oriented Bi₂Se₃ grew on amorphous Al₂O₃ even after multiple stacking. While the surface morphology degraded for the upper layers, each layer was electrically similar. The electrical transport measurements showed that the weak anti-localization effect was quantitatively enhanced upon increasing the number of Bi₂Se₃ channels. Our results provide a promising approach to exploit diverse combinations of layered topological insulator films vertically stacked with amorphous insulator films.     

Chemisorption on a model insulator

The adsorption both of a single atom and a monolayer of atoms on the (001) surface of a model two-band crystal with the CsCI structure is investigated using the Green's function formalism and the phase shift technique. The electronic structure of the surface is described within the Linear Combination of Atomic Orbitals (LCAO) scheme and the Tight Binding (TB) approximation. Each adatom is represented by a single non-degenerate energy level. The adatoms are placed on the surface in both the on-site and the centered fourfold-site configuration. The change in the density of electronic states upon chemisorption is found, and comparison is made with similar results on a metal surface. It is shown that many, but not all, of the qualitative features in chemisorption on metallic surfaces can be transferred to the case of an insulating surface. In addition, it is shown that there are systematic variations in the density of states with adatom coverage which depend upon the absorption site.     

Dynamics and applications of a microscale liquid surface interacting with an electric field

We analyze the dynamics of a microscale liquid surface interacting with a time-dependent electrostatic field. The analysis is based on Hamilton’s theory, which can deal with electrodynamics as well as mechanics. The analysis predicts that the mass of a liquid interacting with an electrostatic field is reduced as a result of its motion. The mass reduction occurs through the formation of a high-aspect liquid meniscus, which is eventually transformed to a molecular flow of the liquid. The high-aspect liquid meniscus is used to erect a CNT on the glass surface, and the molecular flow is used to initiate a plasma-induced reaction that produces a hydrogen-storing polymer.     

Formation and structure of a soliton in an antiferroelectric liquid crystal in an electric field

The soliton structure in an antiferroelectric liquid crystal in an electric field is calculated in the discrete phenomenological Landau model for phase transitions. The anticlinic structure of the antiferroelectric crystal gives rise to nontrivial features of the soliton structure and the stability of the soliton. The soliton is topologically stable in a metastable state if the electric field is much higher than the field of antiferroelectric-helix unwinding. A structural transition with a step-like change in the orientation of molecules occurs as the soliton field varies. A peculiar soliton (synclinic pair) can be formed if the barrier between the anti- and ferroelectric structures is large. The calculation shows the possibility of a large electroclinic effect in the soliton, i.e., a variation in the molecular tilt angle in an electric field in the vicinity of the transition of the structure to the synclinic state.