SPECTRUM EMITTED BY HOT-ELECTRONS IN P-I-N COLD CATHODES

A model is put forward, which gives both the intensity and the spectrum of faint light emitted by hot electrons. The model follows from the application of the classical concept of radiation from accelerated charges to electron-phonon collisions. A comparison between the model and the experiment is made for hot electrons in p-i-n cold cathodes. The expression for the radiation emitted by a single electron-phonon collision is included in a Monte Carlo calculation of the energy distribution of the electrons. It is found that both the theoretical spectrum and intensity of the emitted radiation are in fair agreement with experiment. Th e shape of the spectrum is mainly determined by the distribution function of the hot electrons, but the two are not identical. It is found that the intensity of the emitted light scales with the current through the p-i-n emitter over several orders of magnitude.