Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 30, 2026

Nanofabrication of Gate-defined GaAs/AlGaAs Lateral Quantum Dots
Published on: November 1, 2013
Quantum model of space-charge-limited field emission in a nanogap
Abstract:
This paper presents a modified Thomas-Fermi-approximated quantum model for space-charge-limited field emission in a nanogap with metal electrodes, where the image-charge potential (including anode screening), direct tunnelling, space-charge effects and exchange-correlation effects of the tunnelling current are treated in a one-dimensional quantum model. It is found that the traditional Fowler-Nordheim (FN) law (even with the classical model of anode screening) is no longer valid in a nanogap of less than 10 nm. The smooth transition of our proposed model to the traditional FN law extended to large gap spacing is demonstrated. Application of the model to estimate the emission area of an experimental I-V curve in a nanogap is discussed.
Related Concept Videos
Gauss's Law: Problem-Solving
Gauss's Law
The Quantum-Mechanical Model of an Atom
Electric Field of a Non Uniformly Charged Sphere
Consider a non-uniformly charged sphere, for which the density of charge depends only on the distance from a point in space and not on the direction. Such a sphere has a spherically symmetrical charge distribution. Here, the electric...
Gauss's Law: Spherical Symmetry
Plane Electromagnetic Waves I
The EM field is assumed to be a...

