Field-emission and field-ion microscopy of lanthanum hexaboride

Abstract
Field‐emission and field‐ion microscopy studies are carried out on (001) ‐oriented LaB6 single‐crystal tips. Surface states and some field‐emission characteristics are examined. The facet of low‐index planes, (001), {011}, and {111}, is observed after heating a tip at high temperatures. The field‐emission current fluctuations from thermally cleaned LaB6 tips are larger than those of W field emitters. Field‐emission patterns are found to depend on the local curvatures of the tip surface. The surface states are discussed by considering the effects of surface diffusion and evaporation for LaB6 during high‐temperature heat treatment.

This publication has 8 references indexed in Scilit: