Size Effect in Photofield Emission

Abstract

This paper contains a short reconsideration and explanation of the effect of photofield emission-current deviations. Theoretical considerations of the dynamic image-potential barrier did not yield a satisfactory result. A certain interpretation, suggested a few years ago, indicated that the photocurrent deviations reflect quantum-well states of the outer microcrystal of the apex of the field emitter. This point of view covers a variety of photocurrent deviations observed both for the integral field emission and for the one from a single crystal face as well as from a barium covered field emitter. It also includes the deviations observed for different photon energies and the deviations containing different apparent frequencies.

Electron Work Functions of (H K L)-Surfaces of W, Re, and Cu Crystals

“…It is also interesting that a nano-surface phase with its normal dimension d s,h of few angstroms can be treated as a quantum well. A nano-surface phase of such a thickness clearly corresponds to the field-emitter tip ending of the minimum thickness d responsible for the photoelectron emission oscillations [30]. Other quantum size effects (quantum wells) were also observed experimentally [31][32][33][34].…”