Dissipative split-charge formalism: Ohm's law, Nyquist noise, and non-contact friction

TL;DR

This paper extends the split-charge formalism to include dissipative charge transfer, successfully simulating resistor-capacitor dynamics and Nyquist noise, with potential applications in modeling friction from charged particle motion.

Contribution

It introduces a dissipative split-charge approach that mimics dielectric and metallic conductivities, enabling realistic simulation of charge transfer and noise phenomena.

Findings

Successfully simulated resistor-capacitor dynamics with split-charge model.

Reproduced Nyquist noise arising from thermal voltages.

Demonstrated potential to model friction from moving charged particles.

Abstract

The split-charge equilibration method is extended to describe dissipative charge transfer similarly as the Drude model, whereby the generic frequency-dependent dielectric permitivitties or conductivities of dielectrics and metals can be mimicked. To demonstrate the feasibility of the approach, a resistor-capacitor circuit is simulated using an all-atom representation for resistor and capacitor. The simulated dynamics reproduce the expected charging process and Nyquist noise, the latter resulting from the thermal voltages acting on individual split charges. The method bears promise to model friction caused by the motion of charged particles past metallic or highly polarizable media.