Determination of the low-work-function planes of LaB/sub 6/

Technical Report · Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1984

OSTI ID:6117066

Gesley, M; Swanson, L W

A study of the temperature and orientation dependence of the field ion and electron emission and the average work function for a LaB/sub 6/ emitter have been carried out between 77 and 1800 K. These results indicate that the (310) surface is thermally stable and has the lowest work function of any single crystal plane of LaB/sub 6/. This result is confirmed by field-emission retarding-potential (FERP) work-function (phi) measurements at 300 K which gives phi (310) = 2.50eV. The results show the relative orientation dependence of the room-temperature work function (phi) measurements at 300 K which gives phi (310) < phi (210) < phi (100) < phi (110) < phi (111) < phi (211). This ordering is in accordance with the relative dipole contribution to the work function when surface reconstruction is included. The orientation dependence of the field electron emission is sensitive to field evaporation, thermal equilibration, and carbon contamination.

• Research Organization: Oregon Graduate Center, Beaverton (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6117066
• Report Number(s): AD-A-181269/2/XAB
• Resource Relation: Other Information: Pub. in Surface Science, Vol. 146, 583-599(1984)
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
LANTHANUM BORIDES
WORK FUNCTIONS
MEASURING METHODS
BORON COMPOUNDS
CARBON
CONTAMINATION
ELECTRON EMISSION
EVAPORATION
FIELD EMISSION
IONS
SENSITIVITY
BORIDES
CHARGED PARTICLES
ELEMENTS
EMISSION
FUNCTIONS
LANTHANUM COMPOUNDS
NONMETALS
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
RARE EARTH COMPOUNDS
360204* - Ceramics
Cermets
&amp; Refractories- Physical Properties