STEADY-STATE AND TRANSIENT CURRENTS IN ORGANIC LIQUIDS BY INJECTION FROM A TUNNEL CATHODE

Experimental data are presented on the currents induced in organic liquids by injection from a tunnel cathode. The injection level was varied over a wide range resulting in almost no space-charge limitation to almost complete space-charge limitation. Results were different from that usually observed in solids, in that at low fields, the steady-state current was proportional to V2, while at high fields the current was proportional to V. By proper choice of electrode spacing and applied voltage, space-charge-limited current transients as low as 10-11 A/cm2 and 5 sec transit times were observed. A smooth transition between the electrode-limited and the space-charge limited regimes was achieved by varying the junction voltage that varied the injection level. © 1969 The American Institute of Physics.