X-ray studies of ferroelectric cathodes

Ferroelectric electron emission has two possible sources: rapid polarizatio n switching and surface plasma discharge. The present paper uses an X-ray d iffraction (XRD) method to support the theory of rapid polarization switchi ng for lead zirconate titanate samples. A decrease in the 002 peak value an d an increase In the 200 peak value were observed after electron emission i n two types of samples, which were doped with lanthanum and neodymium, A co mparison of the XRD data for the samples showed that a high-density electro n emission was related to a high-value polarization switch. These results w ere consistent with the theory of rapid polarization switching.