RESEARCH ON THIN FILM TUNNEL CATHODES, RECOMBINATION CATHODES, AND SIMILAR COLD CATHODES. VOLUME II.
Abstract
Investigations were concentrated on elucidating the relative importance of elastic and inelastic scattering of the hot electrons in the insulator and the top metal film in Al-Al2O3-Au devices, and on evaluating the attenuation of hot electrons in various metal films. In addition, experimental studies were made of the changes occurring in the structure of thin insulating films and in the emission image during device operation. Theoretical work was concerned with the temperature rise in a tunneling structure during operation, the advantages of a compensating field produced by the contact potential between the metal electrodes and the extent of the validity of the WKB method in calculating tunneling probabilities. The recombination cathode appears promising if an optimum combination between an efficient light source and an efficient photosurface can be obtained. The feasibility of the concept was demonstrated by fabricating an S-1 photosurface on a relatively inefficient (1%) GaAs recombination diode. An overall efficiency of 0.00001 A/A was measured at about 80 K, in good agreement with the predicted value. A generally useful cold cathode awaits the development of an efficient recombination diode emitting at some wavelength between 4000 and 6000A coinciding with the optimum efficiency of available photosurfaces.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 1966
- Accession Number
- AD0489898
Entities
People
- S. R. Steele
- W. Feist
- W. Getty
Organizations
- RTX