Effects of electrical charging on the mechanical Q of a fused silica disk

We report on the effects of an electrical charge on mechanical loss of a fused silica disk. A degradation of Q was seen that correlated with charge on the surface of the sample. We examine a number of models for charge damping, including eddy current damping, and loss due to polarization. We conclude that rubbing friction between the sample and a piece of dust attracted by the charged sample is the most likely explanation for the observed loss.