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Thermionic Emission through double layers

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 October 2008

W. Georgeson
W. Georgeson
Affiliation:
Trinity College.
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Extract

The effect of surface layers in modifying the thermionic emission has been explained by Nordheim on the assumption that the atoms in the surface contamination create an electrical double layer on the surface. If the layer is electro-positive with respect to the metal the work of final extraction of a given electron is reduced. This reduces the value of the work function χ, but at the same time requires the escaping electrons to pass through a region in which the potential energy is greater than their total energy. It follows that the emission coefficient D (W) is decreased at the same time. The details of the connection between χ and D (W) have been examined further by Fowler.

Type
Research Article
Information
Mathematical Proceedings of the Cambridge Philosophical Society , Volume 25 , Issue 2 , April 1929 , pp. 175 - 185
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge Philosophical Society 1929

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References

* Zeits. f. Phys. XLVI, p. 833 (1927).Google Scholar

† Proc. Roy. Soc. A, vol. CXXII, p. 36 (1929).Google Scholar

* In probably the least favourable case, when B—C = 3 volts and l= 3 × 10−8 cm.,

where W and B are given in volts.

* See Watson, G. N., Theory of Bessel Functions, §4·3Google Scholar

* Nordheim, , loc. cit.Google Scholar

* Nordheim, , loc. cit.Google Scholar

† I must thank Mr Malurkar for pointing this out.Google Scholar

* Fowler, , loc. cit.Google Scholar

* Phys. Rev. vol. XXIX, p. 854 (1927).Google Scholar

† The condition c –(B–C)/KT≪e –·7l(B–C)½is well, satisfied in the above, for it becomes e –15≪e –5.Google Scholar