Temperature dependence of the field-stimulated exoelectron emission

Emission properties of field-stimulated exoelectron emission at various temperatures ranging from 300 to 380 K in ultra-high vacuum were studied. Three emission parameters, i.e., the rate of excitation, the rate of emission, and the number of trap sites, were calculated by means of a method which is based upon a two-process model. The change in emission with tip temperature was due primarily to that in electron traps. The electron traps formed by the physical adsorption of hydrogen located at -3.9 eV from the vacuum level. This result demonstrates the possibility of field-stimulated exoelectron spectroscopy.