Beschreibung:
AbstractA study has been made of the slow changes of surface conductivity and work function of germanium induced by a corona discharge in air. As the surface conductance passes through a minimum calculations of the surface potential are possible. Experiment is compared with a theory based on a barrier model. An agreement was found between a simple theory and the measured time dependence of surface conductivity. The barrier model accounts for part of the observed contact potential variation. The other part is suggested to be caused by the adsorption or desorption of neutral dipole molecules.