Heavy electrons: Electron droplets generated by photogalvanic and pyroelectric effects

TL;DR

This paper reports the creation of stable, heavy electron droplets generated by laser illumination of ferroelectric crystals, with potential applications in X-ray imaging and lithography.

Contribution

It introduces a microscopic model explaining the stability of electron droplets, involving inerton fields and heavy electrons with masses millions of times greater than free electrons.

Findings

Stable electron droplets of about 100 micrometers size observed.

Electrons in droplets are at least a million times heavier than free electrons.

Potential applications in X-ray imaging and lithography discussed.

Abstract

Electron clusters, X-rays and nanosecond radio-frequency pulses are produced by 100 mW continuous-wave laser illuminating ferroelectric crystal of LiNbO_3. A long-living stable electron droplet with the size of about 100 mcm has freely moved with the velocity 0.5 cm/s in the air near the surface of the crystal experiencing the Earth gravitational field. The microscopic model of cluster stability, which is based on submicroscopic mechanics developed in the real physical space, is suggested. The role of a restraining force plays the inerton field, a substructure of the particles' matter waves, which a solitary one can elastically withstand the Coulomb repulsion of electrons. It is shown that electrons in the droplet are heavy electrons whose mass at least 1 million of times exceeds the rest mass of free electron. Application for X-ray imaging and lithography is discussed.