FIELD EVAPORATION THEORY - A REVIEW OF BASIC IDEAS

This paper reviews the basic principles of field-evaporation theory, as it applies to pure metals. The approach is primarily conceptual, and part of the aim is to indicate where and how earlier uncertainties have been resolved, and to note some unsolved problems. A particular topic is the physical origin of Muller's evaporation-field formula. A derivation based solely on the energetics of field evaporation is presented in more detail than previously. It is then argued that Muller's formula does not correctly represent the energetics of his image-hump escape mechanism; rather, the success of Muller's formula lies in a the fact that it represents quite well the energetics of Gomer's charge-exchange escape mechanism. A simplified derivation of the author's activation-energy formula is also given.