Current in a high-current planar diode with a discrete emitting surface

The dependence of the current on emitter size is obtained for a high-curren t planar diode with a discrete emitting surface. It is shown that if the di stance between the emitters appreciably exceeds their size, the dependence of the current on the ratio of the emitter size to the diode gap is a power dependence with an exponent of 3/2. The voltage dependence of the current obeys the "three-halves" law up to higher voltages than that for a planar d iode with a homogeneous emitting surface. (C) 1999 American Institute of Ph ysics. [S1063-7842(99)01806-1].