A quantum theory of triboelectricity

Robert Alicki, Alejandro Jenkins

Published 2019-04-26Version 1

We propose a microphysical theory of the triboelectric effect, the off-equilibrium process by which rubbing separates charge across the interface between two surfaces. Surface electrons are treated as an open system, weakly coupled by tunneling to two baths, corresponding to the bulk materials. We show that work can be extracted from the motion-induced population inversion of fermions, thus extending and generalizing Zel'dovich's theory of bosonic superradiance. We argue that this is consistent with the basic phenomenology of triboelectrification and triboluminescence.