Abstract
We perform a computational study, based on the molecular-dynamics method, of the shape of Miram curves obtained from microscale planar diodes. We discuss the smooth transition from the source-limited regime to the space-charge-limited regime due to the finite size of the emitter (i.e., the "knee"in the Miram curve). In our model we find that the smoothing occurs mostly due to the increased emission at the external edges of the emitting area, and that the knee becomes softer when the size of the emitting area decreases. We relate this to recent work that has described how a heterogeneous work function similarly affects the Miram curve.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 034043 |
| Number of pages | 5 |
| Journal | Physical Review Applied |
| Volume | 16 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 24 Sept 2021 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:This work was supported by the U.S. Air Force Office of Scientific Research under Grant No. FA9550-18-1-7011 and by the Icelandic Research Fund under Grants No. 174127 and No. 195943. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Air Force.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 American Physical Society.
Other keywords
- Condensed matter physics
- Electronics
- Energy research
- Diodes
- Electron sources