NUMERICAL-CALCULATIONS OF PARTICLE TRAJECTORIES IN A 6-ELECTRODE ELECTROSTATIC LEVITATOR

Numerical expressions are derived which describe approximately the tim e-development of the ac electric fields in the central region of a six -electrode electrostatic levitation system. These expressions, which i nclude the effects of viscous damping, are used to develop the equatio ns of motion for a levitated droplet having a specific charge-to-mass ratio. Model trajectories of charged droplets have been computed by it erated numerical solution of the equations of motion. These are found to be in very good agreement with both experiment and finite element m odelling.