Abstract

A newly-built photo/field electron emission microscope has been used to study the dynamic processes associated with the field-induced electron emission from particulate-based microstructures on the surface of high-voltage vacuum-insulated broad-area electrodes. It is demonstrated that the emission can be dramatically enhanced by temporarily illuminating the emitting microstructure with a UV photon beam. More importantly, the decay time of these photon-stimulated field-emitted electrons can be as long as a few minutes, suggesting the involvement of a relaxation process associated with the emitting microstructure. The findings are explained using an existing field-induced hot electron emission model, which has been proposed to explain the prebreakdown electron emission phenomenon observed with high-voltage vacuum gaps.

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