An evaporation-field formula including the repulsive ion-surface interaction

Abstract

In field-ion emission an evaporation field may be defined by a zero-activation-energy (zero-Q) criterion. Existing formulae used to roughly predict the evaporation field do not take into account the repulsive ion-surface interaction. A new formula, including this interaction, has been developed. Slightly higher evaporation fields are predicted. The increase should not exceed 25% in most cases, and may often be substantially less than this.