Thermionic emission change through ambient gas diffusion

The effect of ambient gas on the work function of an electron emitter is usually ascribed to the presence of an adsorbed gas layer on its surface. However, in the course of recent unrelated experiments in this laboratory, changes in the electron emission have been observed under conditions of high e...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inJournal of physics. D, Applied physics Vol. 38; no. 14; pp. 2353 - 2359
Main Author Hirsch, E H
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Bristol IOP Publishing 21.07.2005
Institute of Physics
Subjects
Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties
Electron and ion emission by liquids and solids; impact phenomena
Exact sciences and technology
Physics
Physics of gases, plasmas and electric discharges
Physics of plasmas and electric discharges
Plasma devices
Thermionic emission
Temperature dependence
Ambient atmosphere
Work functions
Pressure effects
Adsorption
Cathodic current
Thermionic emission
Experimental device
Electron emission
Diffusion
Experimental study
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Summary:The effect of ambient gas on the work function of an electron emitter is usually ascribed to the presence of an adsorbed gas layer on its surface. However, in the course of recent unrelated experiments in this laboratory, changes in the electron emission have been observed under conditions of high emitter temperature and a gas pressure so low that significant surface adsorption is impossible. The observed emission changes are the result of two mechanisms that proceed at different rates and that affect the emission current in opposite directions.
Bibliography:ObjectType-Article-2
SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1
ObjectType-Feature-1
content type line 23
ISSN:0022-3727
1361-6463
DOI:10.1088/0022-3727/38/14/009