Transparent Conveyor of Dielectric Liquids or Particles

The concept of a transparent conveyor of small loose dielectric particles or small amounts of dielectric liquids has emerged as an outgrowth of an effort to develop efficient, reliable means of automated removal of dust from solar cells and from windows of optical instruments. This concept is based on the previously reported concept of an electrodynamic screen, according to which a grid-like electric field is established on and near a surface and is moved along the surface perpendicularly to the grid lines. The resulting electrodynamic forces on loose dielectric particles or dielectric liquid drops in the vicinity would move the particles or drops along the surface. In the original dust-removal application, dust particles would thus be swept out of the affected window area (see figure). Other potential applications may occur in nanotechnology — for example, involving mixing of two or more fluids and/or nanoscale particles under optical illumination and/or optical observation.