Work function lowering of LaB6 by monolayer hexagonal boron nitride coating for improved photo- and thermionic-cathodes

• Published in: Applied physics letters Vol. 122; no. 14
• Main Authors: Yamaguchi, Hisato, Yusa, Ryunosuke, Wang, Gaoxue, Pettes, Michael T., Liu, Fangze, Tsuda, Yasutaka, Yoshigoe, Akitaka, Abukawa, Tadashi, Moody, Nathan A., Ogawa, Shuichi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Melville American Institute of Physics 03.04.2023; American Institute of Physics (AIP)
• Subjects: accelerator; Applied physics; Boron nitride; Density functional theory; electron source; Graphene; hexagonal boron nitride; INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY; Lanthanum; lanthanum hexaboride; Mathematical analysis; Monolayers; photocathode; Photoelectric emission; Photoelectrons; Single crystals; Spectrum analysis; Synchrotrons; thermionic; Thermionic emission; work function; Work functions

We report a lowering of work function for lanthanum hexaboride (LaB6) by monolayer hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) coating. Photoemission electron microcopy (PEEM) and thermionic emission electron microscopy (TEEM) both revealed that the hBN coated region of a LaB6 (100) single crystal has a lower wor...