Self-consistent Monte Carlo calculation of electron accumulation and charge transport in n-type GaAs field emitters

We have studied the transport and tunnelling of electrons in a wedge-shaped GaAs field emitter by means of the Monte Carlo Particle model. This approach has been chosen because it yields a self-consistent solution of Boltzmanns transport and Poisson's field equation in space and time, as well as providing a profound first principles physics insight into details of electron dynamics. We found that most of the emission takes place from the side of the emitter near the top because the spherical top itself is too small to contain a significant number of particles. The hottest electrons tend to reside in the highest conduction band minima but rarely exceed one electronvolt above them