THERMIONIC EMISSION : RICHARDSON EQUATION
The emission of the electrons from the metal surface under the effect of thermal energy is called
thermoionic emission. The electrons so emitted are called the thermions.
It is well known that the electrons in a metal are not completely free, but are bound to the metal
surface by the attractive forces of atomic nuclei. Experimental observations show that the metals
do not emit electrons till their temperature is sufficiently high. At ordinary temperatures, the
electrons do not possess sufficient energy to overcome the attractive forces and to escape metallic
surfaces.
According to to Fermi-Dirac statistics, an electron at absolute zero possess a maximum energy
equal to the Fermi energy E
F
which is not sufficient to escape out an electron from the metal.
Further the free electron theory assumes that the potential within the metal is constant, being
positive relative to the free space. If this constant potential is W, then W is the minimum energy of
the electron for its emission from the metallic surface. Therefore the minimum energy to be
supplied to the electron for its emission is
(W-E
F
) and is defined as of the metal.
When the metal is heated, the free
electrons gain the thermal energy and
when this thermal energy is more than ,
the electrons are emitted from the metallic
surface. The thermal energy in excess of
will be converted into the kinetic energy
of the electrons.
Richardson Equation:
Let us now calculate the emission current
density of the emitted electrons:
In the free electron model of a metal the electrons are free to move throughout the volume V.
According to Fermi-Dirac Statistics the number of electrons per unit volume having energy
between E to E+dE is
) (
8
2
) (
2 / 1
2 / 3
2
E f dE E
h
m
E dn
|
.
|
\
|
=
t
The number of electrons per unit volume having the momentum range p to p+dp is
dp
m
p
dE hence and
m
p
E As E f dp
m
p
m
p
h
m
p dn = =
|
.
|
\
|
=
2
[ ), (
2
8
2
) (
2
2 / 3
2
t
]
1
4 2
) (
2
3
+
=
T k
E E
F
e
dp p
h
p dn
t
If p
x
, p
y
, p
z
be the components of momentum of the electron along X, Y and Z-axes such that
p
2
= p
x
2
+ p
y
2
+ p
z
2
then the volume in the momentum space lying between p
x
and p
x
+dp
x
, p
y
and
p
y
+dp
y
, p
z
and p
z
+dp
z
is
dp
x
dp
y
dp
z
= 4tp
2
dp
Number of electrons per unit volume having momentum components lying between p
x
and p
x
+dp
x
,
p
y
and p
y
+dp
y
, p
z
and p
z
+dp
z
is
z y x
T k
E E
T k
E E
z y x
z y x
dp dp dp e
h
e
dp dp dp
h
p p p dn
F
F
~
+
=
3 3
2
1
2
) , , (
[At 27
0
C (300K), (E-E
F
) >> kT, hence 1 in denominator of Fermi Function is neglected]
Number of electrons per unit volume having velocity components lying between v
x
and v
x
+dv
x
, v
y
and v
y
+dv
y
, v
z
and v
z
+dv
z
is
) ( ) ( ) (
2
)] (
2
1
2
1
[sin ,
2
) ( ) ( ) (
2
) , , (
2 2 2
2 2 2
2 2 2
3
3
2 2 2 2
) (
2
1
3
3
3
z
v
T k
m
y
v
T k
m
x
v
T k
m
T k
E
z y x z y x
v v v
m
T k T k
E
z y x
T k
E
T k
E
z y x
dv e dv e dv e e
h
m
v v v m v m E ce dv dv dv e e
h
m
mdv mdv mdv e e
h
v v v dn
z y x
F
z y x
F
F
+ +
=
+ + = = =
=
Now, suposing that the surface of the metal lies in Y-Z plane and X-axis is normal to this surface,
the number of electrons per unit volume in velocity range v
x
and v
x
+dv
x
is
} }
+
+
=
z
v
T k
m
y
v
T k
m
x
v
T k
m
T k
E
x
dv e dv e dv e e
h
m
v dn
z y x
F 2 2 2
2 2 2
3
3
) (
2
) (
] [sin ,
2 2
) (
2 2
2
2
3
3
o
t t t
o
= =
}
+
dx e ce
m
T k
m
T k
dv e e
h
m
x
x
v
T k
m
T k
E
x
F
) (
4
2
2
3
2
x
v
T k
m
T k
E
dv e e
h
kT m
x
F
=
t
When the metal is heated only those electrons can escape from the surface along X axis which fulfil
the condition |
.
|
\
|
> > =
m
W
v e i W v m E
x x
2
., . ;
2
1
2
Therefore, the number of electrons leaving unit area of the surface in unit time is
] , [ ,
4
4
2
2
1 4
4
) (
2
3
2
2
3
2
2
2
3
2
2
2
3
2
2
2
f unction Work E W As e T
h
mk
e T
h
mk
e
m
kT
e T
h
k m
dv v e e
h
kT m
v dn v n
F
T k
T k
E W
m
W
kT
m
T k
E
m
W
x x
v
T k
m
T k
E
m
W
x x x
F
F
x
F
|
t
t
t
t
|
= =
=
|
|
.
|
\
|
=
= =
|
|
.
|
\
|
|
|
.
|
\
|
|
.
|
\
|
|
.
|
\
|
} }
The emission current per unit area (i.e emission current density, J) is obtained by multiplying the
number of electrons leaving unit area of the surface in unit time with the electric charge.
2 2 6
3
2
2 2
3
2
10 2 . 1 tan ,
4
,
4
|
|
.
|
\
|
= =
= = =
K m Amp metal of nature of t independen t cons
h
mek
A where
e T A e T
h
mek
e n J
T k T k
x
t
t
| |
This equation is commonly known as Richardson-Dushman Equation and also known as
Richardson Equation. This equation indicates that the emission current is exponentially dependent
upon the work function (which is characteristics of the material because it is determined by the
interatomic spacing) and inversely dependent upon the absolute temperature.
T k
A
T
J
e A
T
J
T k
1
log log
2
2
|
.
|
\
|
=
=
|
|
A plot of
2
log
T
J
vs.
T
1
is a straight line having a
negative slope |
.
|
\
|
k
|
and an intercept equal to logA.
