1.6.2 The electric force (Fe)

For plasma having an electric field (E), the electric force acting on dust species is written as:

$$F\_t = QE \tag{2}$$

This force is much larger in the bulk of the plasmas, while it is much smaller in the sheaths next to the plasma edge. For example, for characteristic radio frequency (rf) parallel plate glow discharge plasmas, particles reside beneath the negative electrode where the downward electric field offers an upward electric force that stabilizes the weight of the particle with force.
