Kinetics of Electron Emission from Ferroelectrics

Abstract

Kinetics of thermostimulated emission in ferroelectric crystals is examined. It is shown that in pure TGS crystals characteristic emission relaxation time depends on temperature, and decreases as one approaches the phase-transition point. The relaxation time of emission signals in crystals enriched with impurities is several times less than in pure materials and does not depend on temperature. Thermally stimulated electron emission is experimentally observed in TGS crystals, in a temperature range with upper limits of 10–15 𝒦 above the Curie point. The reason for the occurrence of emission above the Curie point is related to slow relaxation of the screening charges, which persist in the paraelectric phase.

Keywords:

• Ferroelectric
• electron emission
• kinetics
• relaxation