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Updated: May 13, 2026

AC Electrokinetic Phenomena Generated by Microelectrode Structures
Published on: July 28, 2008
Instability of a fluctuating membrane driven by an ac electric field
Jacopo Seiwert1, Petia M Vlahovska
1Institut de Physique de Rennes UMR 6251, Université de Rennes, 35042 Rennes, France.
Abstract:
Shape fluctuations of a planar lipid membrane in an ac electric field are investigated using a zero-thickness electromechanical model, which accounts for membrane conductivity and capacitance, and asymmetry in the properties of the fluids separated by the membrane. A linear stability analysis shows that unlike in the case of a dc electric field, a purely capacitive membrane can be destabilized in an ac electric field. The theory highlights that the instability originates from electric pressure exerted on the membrane.
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