Thermionic Emission

Thermionic emission, also known as thermal electron emission, is the process by which charge carriers, such as electrons or ions, move over a surface or some sort of energy barrier by the induction of heat. Charge carriers naturally restrain activity; however, in thermionic emission, thermal energy is introduced to the carriers, causing them to overcome these forces. The reason behind the charge carriers' ability to perform this action is because electrons and ions are mobile and unbound to the normal chains of atomic structure that affect other particles. Traditionally, these charge carriers were referred to as “thermions.”

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One property of the thermionic emission theory is that the emitting region is sustained with a charge opposite to the original but equal in magnitude. This means that the location of the charge carrier prior to emission will generate a positive charge in the case of electrons. However, this can be altered using a battery. The emission is neutralized when the carriers are farther away from the region, resulting in no change to the original state.

Thermionic

Field Emission

Electron Emission

Secondary Emission

Electron Guns

Plasma Emission

Thermionic Vacuum Tube

Historically, the primary example of thermionic emission is that used in the Edison effect. Electrons are emitted from a hot metal cathode, which uses a polarized electrical device to cause electrical current to flow out into a vacuum tube. This allows a device to maintain control over the...