The Use of Atomic Force Microscopy to study charging and charge transfer between micron sized particles and substrates.

The interaction of micron-sized charged particles with substates is of significant interest to many industrial fields such as the pharmaceutical, paint, photocopy, and electronics industries. Specifically, the charging process and charge transfer mechanisms are of immediate importance. In this study, the Atomic Force Microscope is used to measure the interaction force between micron-sized particles and substrates. Different charging mechanisms are used including tribocharging and polarization processes. Theoretical models are used to determine the charge distribution and charge transfer during contact.