A model study of the role of workfunction variations in cold field emission from microstructures with inclusion of field enhancements

H. Qiu; R. P. Joshi; A. Neuber; J. Dickens

doi:10.1088/0268-1242/30/10/105038

A model study of the role of workfunction variations in cold field emission from microstructures with inclusion of field enhancements

H. Qiu, R. P. Joshi, A. Neuber, J. Dickens

Electrical and Computer Engineering

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

9 Scopus citations

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.

Original language	English
Article number	105038
Journal	Semiconductor Science and Technology
Volume	30
Issue number	10
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1088/0268-1242/30/10/105038
State	Published - Sep 21 2015

Keywords

field emission
fowler nordheim
model analyses
quantum confinement
workfunction variations

Access to Document

10.1088/0268-1242/30/10/105038

Cite this

@article{d245a23c809a4df6b9499a2e59dc6bff,

title = "A model study of the role of workfunction variations in cold field emission from microstructures with inclusion of field enhancements",

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.",

keywords = "field emission, fowler nordheim, model analyses, quantum confinement, workfunction variations",

author = "H. Qiu and Joshi, {R. P.} and A. Neuber and J. Dickens",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\"i}¿½ 2015 IOP Publishing Ltd.",

year = "2015",

month = sep,

day = "21",

doi = "10.1088/0268-1242/30/10/105038",

language = "English",

volume = "30",

journal = "Semiconductor Science and Technology",

issn = "0268-1242",

number = "10",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - A model study of the role of workfunction variations in cold field emission from microstructures with inclusion of field enhancements

AU - Qiu, H.

AU - Joshi, R. P.

AU - Neuber, A.

AU - Dickens, J.

N1 - Publisher Copyright: ï¿½ 2015 IOP Publishing Ltd.

PY - 2015/9/21

Y1 - 2015/9/21

N2 - 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.

AB - 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.

KW - field emission

KW - fowler nordheim

KW - model analyses

KW - quantum confinement

KW - workfunction variations

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84943568146&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1088/0268-1242/30/10/105038

DO - 10.1088/0268-1242/30/10/105038

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:84943568146

SN - 0268-1242

VL - 30

JO - Semiconductor Science and Technology

JF - Semiconductor Science and Technology

IS - 10

M1 - 105038

ER -

A model study of the role of workfunction variations in cold field emission from microstructures with inclusion of field enhancements

Abstract

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this