Field Emission from Metals into Alkali Halide Crystals

Abstract

The transient photocurrents associated with the movement of photoelectrons in additively colored alkali halide crystals, and the accompanying growth of positive space charge at the cathode leading to field emission, has been previously calculated and verified by room-temperature measurements. These experiments have been extended to low temperatures and the theory has been expanded to include the final photocurrents produced by the space-charge enhanced field.