학술논문
A model study of the role of workfunction variations in cold field emission from microstructures with inclusion of field enhancements.
Document Type
Article
Source
Subject
*ELECTRIC fields
*FIELD emission
*ELECTRIC currents
*SIGNAL quantization
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Language
ISSN
0268-1242
Abstract
An analytical study of field emission from microstructures is presented that includes position-dependent electric field enhancements, quantum corrections due to electron confinement and fluctuations of the workfunction. Our calculations, applied to a ridge microstructure, predict strong field enhancements. Though quantization lowers current densities as compared to the traditional Fowler–Nordheim process, strong field emission currents can nonetheless be expected for large emitter aspect ratios. Workfunction variations arising from changes in electric field penetration at the surface, or due to interface defects or localized screening, are shown to be important in enhancing the emission currents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]