Understanding ultrafast and nanoscale electron emission and transport
Abstract
This proposal provides a foundational theory on the crucial aspects of ultrafast and nanoscale electron emission and transport. Benchmark of the theory with recent experiments and simulations is sought.Electron emission and transport are central to high power microwave sources, vacuum microelectronics, electron sources, and high current drivers used in high-energy density physics experiments. A crucial challenge is the miniaturization of vacuum and plasma electronic devices. Applications in ultrafast electron sources, compact accelerators and radiation sources, ranging from millimeter wave to x-rays, and 4-dimensional, time-resolved microscopy, are envisioned.The basic physics of electron emission and transport at ultrashort spatiotemporal scales dictates the advancement in these fields.This proposal provides a frontal attack on several physics issues. They include laser induced electron emission, ultrafast tunneling current in a nanoscale gap, and current rectification in miniaturized geometric diodes. The effects of multi-frequency excitation and pulsed laser profiles will be studied systematically. The transition between various emission mechanisms, ultrafast laser field enhancement and absorption, and space charge effects will be investigated. The theory will be applied to contemporary experiments conducted at Air Force Research Laboratory (both at Kirtland and Wright-Patterson), with which the investigator has some preliminary collaborations. Also proposed is a critical study on space-charge-limited electron pulses under oscillating bias, novel geometric diodes, and control of emission uniformity via judicious designs of electrical contacts and of the electron emitters. Useful scaling laws will be obtained, with unique insight that would provide the enabling design tool for the advancement in nanoelectronics.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Apr 09, 2018
- Source ID
- FA95501810061
Entities
People
- Peng Zhang
Organizations
- Air Force Office of Scientific Research
- Michigan State University
- United States Air Force