Application Of A One-Dimensional Tec Code To The Characterization Of A Lanthanum-Hexaboride Diode

A one-dimensional thermionic energy conversion (TEC) computer code has been utilized to provide a theoretical basis of comparison for experimentally derived data obtained from a lanthanum hexaboride cesium vapor thermionic diode. Although the code-generated predictions obtained were not in precise agreement with the experimental results, they do provide a basis for establishing the validity of the experimental results from an analytical framework. Certain discrepancies are thus identified, and an attempt is made to account for them in terms of code inaccuracies and/or possible experimental error. Experimental lanthanum-hexaboride (LaB6) cesium-vapor TEC diode characteristics are compared to those predicted by the TEC code. The diode used was activated by electron-bombardment heating in a rejuvenated diode testing facility. A DOS loop and auxiliary Fortran program were used in conjunction with the original TEC code to generate both general and LaB6 simulated diode current density vs. output voltage characteristics. The effects of changing the emitter and collector work functions and the operating cesium-vapor pressure were studied for both cases