| Issue |
Europhys. Lett.
Volume 63, Number 3, August 2003
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Page(s) | 415 - 418 | |
| Section | Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties | |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1209/epl/i2003-00546-1 | |
| Published online | 01 November 2003 | |
Why charges go to the surface: A generalized Thomson problem
Instituto de Física, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul Caixa Postal 15051, CEP 91501-970, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
Corresponding authors: levin@if.ufrgs.br arenzon@if.ufrgs.br
Received:
28
April
2003
Accepted:
5
June
2003
We study a variant of the generalized Thomson problem in which
n particles are confined to a neutral sphere and interacting by
a 
potential. It is found that for 
the electrostatic repulsion expels all the charges to the surface
of the sphere. However, for 
and 
occupation of the bulk becomes energetically favorable. It is
curious to note that the Coulomb law lies exactly on the
interface between these two regimes.
PACS: 71.10.Ca – Electron gas, Fermi gas / 64.60.Cn – Order-disorder transformations; statistical mechanics of model systems
© EDP Sciences, 2003
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