Anisotropy study on thermionic emission and magnetoresistivity of single crystal CeB6

Cerium hexaboride (CeB6) as a heavy fermion compound displays a number of interesting low-temperature physical properties such as dense Kondo behavior and a complex magnetic phase diagram due to the interaction between itinerant and local electrons. Recently, the electron emission property of CeB6 has received much attention because it has potential applications in replacing the commercial LaB6 cathode and serving as new-generation thermal cathodes. In addition, by comparison with other metal cathodes, it also possesses some advantages, such as a low work function, low volatility, high brightness, thermal stability and high mechanical strength. However, so far the thermionic emission properties of CeB6 single crystal surfaces except for the (100) surfaces have been rarely reported. Whether the different crystal surfaces of CeB6 contribute to the various interesting emission properties is main research purpose of the present work. In this paper, the (110), (111), (210) and (310) crystal surfaces of single crystal CeB6 are determined by the X-ray Laue diffraction method, and their thermionic emission current densities are measured at different temperatures and applied voltages. As a result, the maximum emission current densities of the (110), (111), (210) and (310) crystal surfaces at 1873 K are 38.4, 11.54, 50.4 and 20.8 A/cm2, respectively. When their cathode temperatures are all 1773 K, their maximum emission current densities are 15.2, 5.43, 28.0 and 11.44 A/cm2. In addition, when the cathode temperature decreases to 1673 K, their maximum emission current densities are 4.24, 0.9, 6.2 and 2.43 A/cm2. It means that the thermionic emissions are strongly anisotropic for the different crystal surfaces. In general, the maximum emission current density of (100) crystal surface of LaB6 single crystal is about 10 A/cm2 at 1700 K. By comparing the emission current density of CeB6 single crystal at 1773 K with that of LaB6 at 1700 K, it is found that the emission properties of (210) crystal surface are maybe close to those of LaB6. The work function values of the (110), (111), (210) crystal surfaces calculated by the Richardson-Dushman formula are 2.64, 2.71 and 2.40 eV, respectively. Among these, the (210) crystal surface possesses the smallest value of the work function, which is hopeful for being used as an electron source of scanning electron microscopy. Zero-field magnetoresistivity measurments confirm the transition temperatures of TQ=3.3 K and TN=2.4 K. Field-angle dependent magnetoresistivity measurments show that the electrical resistivity varies between 69 μupΩ·cm and 73 μupΩ·cm when the crystal rotates from the[001] to the[011] direction. This indicates that the electrical resistivity in a magnetic field is also anisotropic.