Schottky effect on the red border for the photo-detachment from charged metallic nanoparticles

ORAL

Abstract

Тhe Schottky effect is predicted to decrease the energy of photons required for electron photo-detachment from metal particles negatively charged in plasma [1]. It is shown that the critical wavelength of the laser at which the photodetachment starts (the red border of the photoelectric effect) depends not only on the work function, but also on the charge of nanoparticles and their size. Our theory predicts that the smaller the size of the nanoparticles, the stronger the shift of the red border of the photo-detachment. This result is important for measurements of the charge and size of dust or nano-particles using a Laser Stimulated Photodetachment (LSPD) technique. Such measurements can provide valuable information required for modeling of plasmas for synthesis of nanomaterials and material processing applications. The particle charge can be determined from the measurement of saturation of the electron density changes due to the photo-detachment using, for example, microwave interferometry. The presented theory can also guide the selection of the LSPD laser wavelength and analysis of measured results.

^*This work was performed under the U.S. Department of Energy through contract DE-AC02-09CH11466.

Oct. 12, 2023, 10:45 AM – Oct. 12, 2023, 11:00 AM

Publication: 1. M.N. Shneider, Y. Raitses and S. Yatom, J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys. 56 (2023) 29LT01

Mikhail N Shneider
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Princeton University
- Princeton University
- Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory

Mikhail N Shneider
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Princeton University
- Princeton University
- Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory
Yevgeny Raitses
- Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory
Shurik Yatom
- C&J Nyheim Plasma Institute, Drexel University
- Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton University
- Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory