Ab initio model of intrinsic defects in Sc2O3 for thermionic cathode systems

Abstract

A defect model for Sc₂O₃ was developed using quantum mechanical modeling and evaluated under cathode operating conditions to determine the electronic properties of Sc₂O₃ used in cathode experiments. We find that Sc₂O₃ can conduct well enough with a sub-ppm impurity concentration such that the limiting step of emission is not conduction through bulk Sc₂O₃.