Determination of dielectric constant of dielectric particles using negative dielectrophoresis

The dielectric constant of dielectric particles is determined using negative dielectrophoresis (DEP). A pair of cylindrical electrodes is employed to produce a non-uniform electric field that levitates a dielectric particle. Because the electrode structure is simple, we obtain explicit equations for the electric field, the potential energy, the stable levitation height, and the effective polarizability. Measuring the height of the levitated particle, we can calculate the effective polarizability, and estimate the dielectric constant of the particle using a non-linear regression method. By determining dielectric constant of polystyrene and polychloromethylstyrene particles, the proposed electrode structure and method show the possibility to measure the dielectric constants of dielectric particles