Transport phenomena related to electron field emission from semiconductorsthrough thick-oxide layers

In this article the field electron emission from:a semiconductor (with spec ial emphasis on silicon) occurring through a thick: oxide layer is consider ed. The oxide thickness is,taken:large enough (as compared to the electron mean free path) to allow for transport effects. The electrons are injected from the conduction band of the semiconductor into the conduction band of t he oxide, through the interfacial potential barrier. Finally they are emitt ed through the oxide-vacuum interface; Owing to the small density of conduc tion: electrons in the oxide layer, the electric field deeply penetrates it . For a more refined model, field penetration into the-base semiconductor c an also be considered. Comparative computations of the emission current den sity are performed for these two models. No essential differences are found in the high field range. For relatively low field Strength, however, signi ficant improvement can be obtained by considering field:penetration into th e semiconductor. These-observations may be of use in designing electron fie ld emission devices. Vacuum Society. [S0734-211X(99)00402-3].