A Microfluidic Viscometer: Translation of Oscillatory Motion of a Water Microdroplet in Oil under Electric Field

A mathematical model of rhythmic motion of a charged droplet between two parallel electrodes is developed in this study. The work is motivated by recent experimental findings that report oscillatory behaviour of water in oil droplets under a direct current electric field. The model considers the presence of a charged droplet placed in a dielectric medium. The droplet is immediately attracted to the electrode with the opposite polarity. When approaching the electrode, the electric charge is electrochemically reversed within the droplet, which is then repelled to the other electrode. The entire process can periodically repeat. The model is able to track a deformable liquid–liquid interface, the dynamics of the wetting process at the electrodes and the dynamics of electrochemical charge transfer between the droplet and the electrodes. The dependences of the oscillation frequency, charge acquired by the droplet and charging time on several model parameters (surface charge density on electrodes, kinetic parameter of charging, droplet–electrode contact angle, droplet size, liquid permittivity) are examined. Qualitative agreement of the model predictions with available experimental data is obtained, e.g. the oscillation frequency increases with growing electric field strength or droplet size. Our model represents the first successful attempt to predict oscillatory motion of aqueous droplets by a pseudo-three-dimensional two-phase approach. Our model also strongly supports the theory that the oscillatory motion relies on the combination of electrochemical charge injection at the electrodes and electrostatic attraction/repulsion processes.

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Resolution in photoelectron microscopy

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100086593 ◽

1991 ◽

Vol 49 ◽

pp. 458-459

Author(s):

G. F. Rempfer

Keyword(s):

Electron Microscopy ◽

Electric Field ◽

Ultraviolet Light ◽

Uniform Field ◽

Virtual Image ◽

Lens System ◽

Photoemission Electron Microscopy ◽

Planar Electrode ◽

Electron Lens ◽

Photoemission Electron

In photoelectron microscopy (PEM), also called photoemission electron microscopy (PEEM), the image is formed by electrons which have been liberated from the specimen by ultraviolet light. The electrons are accelerated by an electric field before being imaged by an electron lens system. The specimen is supported on a planar electrode (or the electrode itself may be the specimen), and the accelerating field is applied between the specimen, which serves as the cathode, and an anode. The accelerating field is essentially uniform except for microfields near the surface of the specimen and a diverging field near the anode aperture. The uniform field forms a virtual image of the specimen (virtual specimen) at unit lateral magnification, approximately twice as far from the anode as is the specimen. The diverging field at the anode aperture in turn forms a virtual image of the virtual specimen at magnification 2/3, at a distance from the anode of 4/3 the specimen distance. This demagnified virtual image is the object for the objective stage of the lens system.

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Field-assisted ionization theory for microscopists

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100171833 ◽

1994 ◽

Vol 52 ◽

pp. 820-821

Author(s):

Patrick P. Camus

Keyword(s):

Electric Field ◽

Electron Tunneling ◽

Ionization Probability ◽

Critical Distance ◽

Tunneling Probability ◽

Field Ionization ◽

Radius Of Curvature ◽

Field Evaporation ◽

A Value ◽

Ion Emission

The theory of field ion emission is the study of electron tunneling probability enhanced by the application of a high electric field. At subnanometer distances and kilovolt potentials, the probability of tunneling of electrons increases markedly. Field ionization of gas atoms produce atomic resolution images of the surface of the specimen, while field evaporation of surface atoms sections the specimen. Details of emission theory may be found in monographs.Field ionization (FI) is the phenomena whereby an electric field assists in the ionization of gas atoms via tunneling. The tunneling probability is a maximum at a critical distance above the surface,xc, Fig. 1. Energy is required to ionize the gas atom at xc, I, but at a value reduced by the appliedelectric field, xcFe, while energy is recovered by placing the electron in the specimen, φ. The highest ionization probability occurs for those regions on the specimen that have the highest local electric field. Those atoms which protrude from the average surfacehave the smallest radius of curvature, the highest field and therefore produce the highest ionizationprobability and brightest spots on the imaging screen, Fig. 2. This technique is called field ion microscopy (FIM).

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