field emission

English

Noun

field emission (countable and uncountable, plural field emissions)

1. (physics) The emission of electrons from a metal or semiconductor, under the influence of a strong electric field, by quantum tunnelling.
   • 2006, Annick Loiseau, Understanding Carbon Nanotubes: From Basics to Applications‎^[1]:

     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.

Synonyms

• field electron emission

Derived terms

• field emission microscope
• field emission microscopy