Emission of X electrons from (110) GaAs activated to negative electron affinity

Abstract

It has recently been stated that the direct emission of X electrons out of the (110) face of GaAs activated to negative electron affinity is blocked by conservation laws. It is shown that proper application of the conservation laws contradicts this conclusion and that there exists firm experimental evidence for the emission of such electrons. Similar considerations apply to (110) Si. Hence the reason emission is not observed in this case is because negative electron affinity has not been achieved on this face to any significant degree rather than the emission being blocked by conservation laws.