Transport phenomena related to electron field emission from semiconductors through thick oxide layers

Owing to the small density of conduction electrons in the oxide layer, the electric field deeply penetrates the solid. This fact, together with the strong interactions with the oxide lattice, may lead to an electron accumulation effect near the emitting surface. Consequently, an important increase of the emission current density is expected. The electron current invariance induces then a reduction of the emitting surface by the same factor with a corresponding increase of the local Joule heating. This effect could provide an alternative insight to the local damaging of the oxidized emitting surfaces.