Field Electron Emission of Hafnium Carbide

Hafnium carbide, or HfC, is a robust material whose high melting point makes it an advantageous electron source for a variety of uses, including imaging. This research focused on the effects of an applied field at high temperature on HfC crystals, which induces a faceting effect over time. The cause of this faceting was studied to determine whether it could be correlated to evaporation or self-diffusion during use. The method for electrochemically etching hafnium carbide cathodes was also optimized, and the crystallographic geometry of the tip surfaces was studied using field emission microscopy.

M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust (through the Lynwood W. Swanson Scientific Research Grant) Applied Physics Technologies.