Combined Field and Thermionic Emission Process in ZnO Nanostructure Cold Emission Cathode

Abstract

With recent research, the author intends to outline the framework of the field emission of ZnO nanostructures. However, many groups’ reports ignored the thermionic emission process in the low electric field. A recently published field emission cathode parameter extraction method [X. He et al., J. Appl. Phys. 102, 056107(2007)] provided unambiguous and reliable cathode. The method utilized Richardson-Laue-Dushman law in low electric field and Fowler-Norheim equation in high electric field to solve a one-dimensional model including both thermionic and field emission. The model gave a much better agreement with the experimental data of ZnO cathode under the applied field and acquired a revised surface field enhancement factors and work function of ZnO cathode in the electron emission process.