Polarizable Surfaces: Weak and Strong Coupling Regimes

TL;DR

This paper investigates ionic distributions near charged surfaces using new Monte Carlo simulation methods and develops theories for both weak and strong coupling regimes, providing accurate density profiles and modified equations.

Contribution

It introduces a novel simulation approach and presents theories for weak and strong coupling regimes, improving the understanding of ion-surface interactions.

Findings

Monte Carlo method for charged surfaces is discussed.

Weak-coupling theory accounts for ion-image interactions.

Strong-coupling theory accurately predicts density profiles.

Abstract

We study the ionic distribution near a charged surface. A new method for performing Monte Carlo simulations in this geometry is discussed. A theory is then presented that allows us to accurately reproduce the density profiles obtained in the simulations. In the weak-coupling regime, a theory accounts for the ion-image interactions, leading to a modified Poisson-Boltzmann equation. When the correlations between the ions are significant, a strong-coupling theory is used to calculate the density profiles near the surface and a Poisson-Boltzmann equation with a renormalized boundary condition to account for the counterion distribution in the far-field.