Characteristics of charge and discharge of PMMA samples due to electron irradiation

In this study, using a comprehensive numerical simulation of charge and discharge processes, we investigate the formation and evolution of negative charge and discharge characteristics of a grounded PMMA film irradiated by a non- focused electron beam. Electron scattering and transport processes in the sample are simulated with the Monte Carlo and the finite-different time-domain （FDTD） methods, respectively. The properties of charge and discharge processes are presented by the evolution of internal currents, charge quantity, surface potential, and discharge time. Internal charge accumulation in the sample may reach saturation by primary electron （PE） irradiation providing the charge duration is enough. Internal free electrons will run off to the ground in the form of leakage current due to charge diffusion and drift during the discharge process after irradiation, while trapped electrons remain. The negative surface potential determined by the charging quantity decreases to its saturation in the charge process, and then increases in the discharge process. A larger thickness of the PMMA film will result in greater charge amount and surface potential in charge saturation and in final discharge state, while the electron mobility of the material has little effects on the final discharge state. Moreover, discharge time is less for smaller thickness or larger electron mobility. The presented results can be helpful for estimating and weakening the charging of insulating samples especially under the intermittent electron beam irradiation in related surface analysis or measurement.

Modeling and Simulations in Symmetrical Supercapacitors Using Time Domain Mathematical Expressions

This study presents the deduction of time domain mathematical equations to simulate the curve of the charging process of a symmetrical electrochemical supercapacitor with activated carbon electrodes fed by a source of constant electric potential in time ε and the curve of the discharge process through two fixed resistors. The first resistor RCo is a control that aims to prevent sudden variations in the intensity of the electric current i1(t) present at the terminals of the electrochemical supercapacitor at the beginning of the charging process. The second resistor is the internal resistance RA of the ammeter used in the calculation of the intensity of the electric current i1(t) over time in the charging and discharging processes. The mathematical equations generated were based on a 2R(C + kUC(t)) electrical circuit model and allowed to simulate the effects of the potential-dependent capacitance (kUC(t)) on the charge and discharge curves and hence on the calculated values of the fixed capacitance C, the equivalent series resistance (ESR), the equivalent parallel resistance (EPR) and the electrical potential dependent capacitance index k.