The peculiarities of electron field emission from nanostructured GaN surface have been investigated. The current–voltage characteristics of emission current in Fowler–Nordheim plot show two parts with different slopes. There are emission current oscillations in the changing slope region. As an explanation for the experimental results a model based on the electron-emission analysis from lower (Γ) valley, upper (U) valley, and electron transition between valleys due to heating in electric field has been proposed. The electron affinities for the emission from Γ and U valleys have been determined. The decreased affinities from there valleys have been estimated for quantization in nanostructured GaN.

Theoretical analyses have been performed of the quantum-size (QS) resonance tunneling in the field-emission (FE) phenomenon for different models of the emitting structures. Such experimentally observed peculiarities have been considered as the enhancement of the FE current, the deviation from the Fowler-Nordheim law, the appearance of sharp current peaks, and a negative resistance. Different types of FE cathodes with QS structures (quantized layers, wires, or dots) have been studied experimentally. Resonance current peaks have been observed, from which the values of the energy-level splitting can be estimated.

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GaN field emitter rods with nanometer diameter were fabricated by photoelectrochemical etching on a n+-GaN substrate. Their electron field emission properties were investigated under ultraviolet (UV) illumination. The Fowler–Nordheim plots of the emission current show different slopes for nonilluminated and UV illuminated devices. A model based on the electron emission from valleys having different specific electron affinities is proposed to explain the experimental results. In the absence of illumination, the GaN rods are almost fully depleted and emission takes place only from the lower valley. Upon UV illumination and presence of a high electric field at the emitter tip, the upper valley of the conduction band appears to be occupied by electrons generated at the valence band. The energy difference between the lower and upper valleys was determined to be 1.15eV and is in good agreement with formerly published theoretical and measured values.