Theory of surface light-induced drift with forced specularity

Abstract

Waxman has recently proposed new mechanisms for surface light-induced drift (SLID), which he called “SLID with forced specularity” (christened SLIDWFS here). SLIDWFS was proposed for its potential use in modelling several important physical processes; examples are selective control of spatial distributions of gases, including isotope separation, probing the molecule-surface interaction potential in gas-surface scattering, heterogeneous chemical reactions in catalysis, and laser cooling. Waxman’s cell geometry consisted of a single flat plate; the usual approximations were made in the analysis, and substantial effects (larger than in ordinary SLID) were reported. In the present contribution, we study the more realistic double-flat-plate and circular-cylindrical geometries. We get exact analytical solutions to the model rate equations, with results quite different from Waxman’s. For example, for circular-cylindrical geometry, which is clearly preferable in ordinary SLID, we predict a negligible SLIDWFS effect.PACS Nos.: 05.60.–k, 34.35.+a, 34.50.Rk