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Can a charged ring levitate a neutral, polarizable object? Can Earnshaw's Theorem be extended to such objects?

Stephen Minter·Raymond Chiao
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Abstract

Stable electrostatic levitation and trapping of a neutral, polarizable object by a charged ring is shown to be theoretically impossible. Earnshaw's Theorem precludes the existence of such a stable, neutral particle trap.

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Stephen Minter, Raymond Chiao. 2007-01-25. Can a charged ring levitate a neutral, polarizable object? Can Earnshaw's Theorem be extended to such objects?. https://doi.org/10.1134/s1054660x07070079

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