THERMIONIC EMISSION FROM METAL CRYSTALS IN ALKALI METAL VAPORS

Abstract

Thermionic emission microscopes were used to evaluate the emission density from tungsten, molybdenum, tantalum, niobium, nickel, rhenium, and niobium carbide in cesium, rubidium, and potassium vapors as a function of alkali vapor pressure, emitter temperature, and emitter crys tal face. It was found that when the emitter surface had less than a monolayer coverage of alkali metal, it was the atomically closest packed plane of the emitter which yielded the highest thermionic emission density. The effects of surface contaminants were studied and evidence was obtained suggesting that the high work func tion of the 112 plane of tungsten and molybdenum may be caused by a contaminant. (Author)

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
May 01, 1963
Accession Number
AD0407962

Entities

People

  • H. F. Webster
  • P. L. Read

Organizations

  • General Electric

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Alkali Metals
  • Construction
  • Crystal Structure
  • Crystallography
  • Crystals
  • Cubic Lattices
  • Electron Emission
  • Electron Microscopes
  • Emitters
  • Field Emission
  • Films
  • Finishes
  • Materials
  • Measurement
  • Military Research
  • Thermionic Emission

Fields of Study

  • Materials science

Readers

  • Surface Engineering/Surface Coating Technology.
  • Thin Film Deposition Science.