Abstract: A motor assembly (A) cyclically moves a sample (34) longitudinally through the longitudinally aligned central bores (16, 18) of a pair of hollow electrodes (12, 14). One of the electrodes (14) is connected with a Faraday shield (10) which electrically shields the electrodes and the sample and the other electrode (12) is electrically insulated from the Faraday shield. Preferably, the Faraday shield structure further serves as a hermetic seal for sealing the hollow electrodes against adverse effects of the ambient atmosphere. An electrical instrument (C) is connected across the two hollow electrodes to measure the induced charge transfer or potential difference as the sample cyclically moves back and forth between the hollow bores of the two electrodes.

Abstract: A hermetically sealed, electrically insulative enclosure (A) is surrounded by a Faraday cage (B). At least one electrode (C) is disposed within the hermetically sealed enclosure. The volume of the enclosure is selectively altered such that an initial charge density in the neighborhood of electrod changes, which changes the electrode potential. The change causes a current to flow to or from the electrode which returns the electrode potential and the electrode surrounding space charge toward an equilibrium condition. In one embodiment, a current measuring circuit (D) is disposed between the electrode and the Faraday cage to derive a measure of the current flow therebetween. In another embodiment, a like electrode is disposed within another hermetically, sealed insulative enclosure which is shielded by the same or another Faraday cage. In the second embodiment, the measuring circuit measures the current flow between the two isolated electrodes.