Observation of multiple nearly monoenergetic electron production by heated pyroelectric crystals in ambient gas

Multiple production of nearly monoenergetic electrons at a given pyroelectric crystal surface charge density is observed on cooling or heating the crystal in ambient gas. Typically, the +z base of a 5 mm diamx5 mm crystal of LiNbO3 is heated to 100 degreesC and then let cool to 23 degreesC in dry N-2 at 10(-2)-10(-6) Torr. The electron spectrum consists of a series of peaks equally spaced in energy and having decreasing intensity with order superimposed on a continuously decreasing background. The higher-order peaks and the high-energy continuum are due to two or more electrons hitting the surface barrier detector within its resolving time (similar to1 mus). (C) 2001 American Institute of Physics.