The discussion centers around the concept of charge density within insulators, exploring how insulators can exhibit charge density despite the common understanding that they do not conduct electricity. Participants examine the implications of electric fields, polarization, and specific examples from micro-fabrication.
Participants express differing views on the nature of charge density in insulators, with no consensus reached on the mechanisms or implications of charge presence within these materials.
Some claims rely on specific conditions, such as the presence of electric fields or the methods of material deposition, which may not apply universally to all insulators.
An insulator becomes Polarised when a field is applied. The charges around individual molecules get displaced a bit (negative one way and positive the other) but they are not released to move to another molecule. The amount of this effect is the Dielectric Constant of the material. An insulator, inserted between the plates of an Air Capacitor will increase its capacitance. Current will flow whilst the capacitor is charging up but it is a transient effect because the charges will not flow through the insulator. I guess that, whilst the capacitor is charging up, you could consider that a charge density exists. But, even in a metal, the net charge density is zero (each mobile electron will have a corresponding static proton).edgarpokemon said:I thought that insulators cannot be charged in the inside or the outside, so how can they have any charge density inside? I know that electric fields pass through a insulator, so is that why they can have charge density? I am currently reading about electric flux.