Slot Effect in Electret Devices Otzc Jermexxo Department of Physics West Virginia University, Morgantown 26506 Abstract ‘An expression forthe force exerted on electrets by slot-type electrodes is derived. NE obvious application of electets is the constructinn of devices which ean be fused for transforming electric energy into mechanical energy and viee verse, In the past, such devices were of little practical importance essentially beeause of two Aeficiences; fist, the mechanical force available from eleetets with traditional clee- trode arrangements was very small; second, the electrts were lsing their polarization fara rent of the absence of shiekling ‘The slot effect allows one to eliminate both these deficiencies by providing al- most complete shiclding combined! with adequate mechanical fore Gonsider an electret of thickness t, dielectric constant «, and effective surface charge density c. resting on a condueting plate, as shown in Figure 1. Let there be nother condueting plate with a slot of width w and length 1 at a distance d above the electret. As we shall show, if a voltage V is applied hetween the two halves of the upper plat, the electeet will experience a horizontal force ea tary m ely ay ay aay We call this phenomenon the “Slot effect.” ‘To obtain Equation (1), let us apply the busi electrostatic force equation in the form B= ° Seedy @ to the upper surface of the electret tinder considerstion, Replicing adv by oud srl, where ex Is the total effective surfuce charge of the electret, we have B= 41 feuBadx (3) ‘The charge ov Is piven by en: = ¢ — Ps + Po, where ¢ isthe real surface charge, , is the normal component of the polarization outside the electret, and B, & the normal component of the polarization inside the eleceet, both measured at the upper snface of the electet. However, Py = 0 ancl R=P male LE, uw where P, isthe remanent polarization of the elect, and Ey i the normal compon- cent ofthe clcetie field in the eleetret, We can write therefore for ove ot Peale 1 Se ale DB, (5) 5d a ° b x WW TELE Ae ° tL le electret Ye | VLE ML LL, co a aa a TE Length of electrodes or electret (into the page) is f FIGURE 1 Slottpe electrodes above an slat rating om x grounded conucing ate. where os = « + Pris the effective surface charge of the electret, Equation (3) be- comes then Fe = OL forkds — °L Seale — 1) Eid , o) where the integrals are extended over the entice upper surface of the electret. Since te is constant, it can be factored out from undor the iategcal sign, The first integral fs then 1 fedixdx = *Lexfade = Las, m ‘vhere Vs is the voltage measuted along the xcaxis between the extreme points of the upper surface of the electrct, Ifthe electret i sufficiently thin, which we assume to be the case, the end effects of the electret may be neglected, and this voltage may be roplaced by the voltaze Vis between the points a and b lying ia the rexions of the Thomogencous electric field, The force is then Fr =e 1Vin — 1S ole = 1) Bikde, (8) If the slot is sufficiently narrow, which we ako assume to be the case, Ex may be considered constant throghout the entire left half and the entie right half of the ‘lecect, so that we ean write, using subscripts “I” and “e” for “left” and “right”, Fe = ed Vin — “Le (e = 1) Ea Subd = "Le (¢ = 1) Bre fobads, 1 on, since f'Eudke = Bade = — Vu» 2 1 BK ele 1) En $ Evel) Van (oy 2 316‘Mariacvrios aND Pusics SucrioN att ‘The fields Fs and E\, cam be found as follows. At the upper surface of the lectot we must have D-D=e, «a0 ‘where Dy and D, are the normal components of the displacement at the upper su face inside and outside the eleetret, Since D = P + el, we have from Equations (4) and (10) (remembering that P. = 0, and ¢ ++ Py web ab ae. an y v Since dhe voltage between the upper and lower plats is — forthe right half and — a for the left half, we have 1 But} Bad =~ (a2) 2 and 1 Ey t+ Bed =~ a3) 2 From Equations (11), (12), and (13) we obtain Bod +e Bu = aay 2d 0 and Pad —v eel (1s) lel +0) Combining Equations (9), (14), and (15), we obtain forthe force equation su +a) FS a Va (18) 1+ art Now, the potential at the point a with respect to the lower pte i, by Equation an, Dod + a a Ey an zed en) ‘nd the potential at the point b is, by Equation (15), Ded — 0 sore) as)Hence the voltage otis v ———— (19) L+ar Combining Equations (16) and (19), we finally obtain Equation (1) Tt must he pointed out that Equation (1) is subject to the assumption of a suf ficiently thin electret and a sufficiently narow slot. The extent of the validity of this equation must be verified, therefore, by experiments, Such experiments are reported in the paper by Jeflmenko and Walker [1] LITERATURE CITED 1. Jefimenke, O. and D. K, Waller, 1968. Force meurremeats om elects, Proc. W. Va. Act Raabe Soe Si hs te)