Nanosecond switching of ferroelectric thin films for application to a short-pulse micro electron emitter

We have analysed the electron emission characteristics from thin bulk ferroelectrics, and examined the contribution of the electrode pattern to the electric field distribution inside the ferroelectric and in the vacuum. It is shown that emission experiments performed with ferroelectric thin films up to now suffer from a not adapted electrode structure and are not optimized with respect to detection. Re-examination of the switching kinetics of ferroelectric thin films reveal that polarization can be inversed up to a certain distance from the electrode edge. Thus a first indication of the area that might participate in the emission process is found. In conclusion we discuss possibilities to improve the emission data, which may lead to the development of a micro electron-beam source based on emission from ferroelectric thin films.