Density-gradient analysis of effects of geometry on field-emitter characteristics

Abstract

An approximate approach to quantum transport problems known as density-gradient theory is used to study geometrical and space-charge effects on field emission in planar, cylindrical and spherical geometries. It is shown that significant departures from simple field enhancement ( beta factor) arise for radii of curvature below 50AA and that for many purposes explicit inclusion of space-charge effects is unnecessary especially in non-planar geometries.<>