Definition
Net electric charge distributed within a region where positive and negative charges do not locally balance; it can occur in a semiconductor or in a non-neutral part of a plasma.
Application
Used in electrostatic analysis of semiconductors and plasma sheaths to relate charge imbalance to the electric field and potential distribution.
Related concepts
Evidence and further reading
- Evidence from ocw.mit.eduhttps://ocw.mit.edu/courses/6-012-microelectronic-devices-and-circuits-spring-2009/04998d375497e86baecf6f9b537f6481_MIT6_012S09_rec04.pdf
- Evidence from gss.pppl.govhttps://gss.pppl.gov/2025/Kaganovich%20GSS%202025_V4.pdf