field emission
noun1
Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Physics The emission of electrons from a metal or semiconductor, under the influence of a strong electric field, by quantum tunnelling.
- Field emission was described for the first time at the end of the 19th century. Thorough experiments in the 1920s showed clearly that this emission occurred under high electric field and was not related to thermoelectronic emission.2006, Annick Loiseau, Understanding Carbon Nanotubes: From Basics to Applications:
- Synonyms
- field electron emission
- Derived terms
- field emission microscope, field emission microscopy