Binding Energies of Charged Particles on Dielectric Surfaces in Liquid Nitrogen
A new approach for determining the binding energies of charged particles, such as ions and electrons, on dielectric surfaces in cryogenic liquids is introduced. The experimental technique outlined in this paper is employed to observe the buildup of charged particles on nonconductive surfaces using the electro-optic Kerr effect. The initial results of binding energy measurements on surfaces of deuterated tetraphenyl butadiene (dTPB)-coated and uncoated polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) in liquid nitrogen are presented. Under these conditions, the ions or electrons displayed binding energies of less than 1 meV. Although these findings were obtained in liquid nitrogen, the methodology is not limited to cryogenic liquids and is applicable to a wide variety of fluids, with no essential dependence on temperature.