Area and edge effects in radiometric forces

N. Selden, C. Ngalande, S. Gimelshein, E. P. Muntz, A. Alexeenko, and A. Ketsdever
Phys. Rev. E 79, 041201 – Published 6 April 2009

Abstract

The radiometric force on several configurations of heated plates placed in a stagnant gas is examined experimentally, with a high-resolution thrust stand, and numerically using the direct simulation Monte Carlo method and a discrete ordinate solution of a model kinetic equation. A wide range of pressures from 0.006 to 6 Pa was examined, corresponding to Knudsen numbers from 20 to 0.02, in argon and helium test gases. The radiometric force, important in a number of emerging micro- and nanoscale applications, is shown to be mostly area dependent in the transitional regime where it reaches its maximum at Kn0.1.

    • Received 5 January 2009

    DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.79.041201

    ©2009 American Physical Society

    Authors & Affiliations

    N. Selden, C. Ngalande, S. Gimelshein, and E. P. Muntz

    • University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089, USA

    A. Alexeenko

    • Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, USA

    A. Ketsdever

    • Edwards AFB, California 93524, USA

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    Issue

    Vol. 79, Iss. 4 — April 2009

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