FIELD EMISSION FROM METAL PARTICLES IN A VACUUM GAP

The motion of a charged metal particle which is itself a source of field emission has been investigated. It will be shown that the effect of electron emission from a particle may significantly affect its behaviour and may even reverse its direction of motion in the electric field within a vacuum gap. Cathode-directed particles have their energies increased by this process, while the reverse is true for anode-directed particles. These findings are in accord with the results of other investigators who have suggested that particle impact on the cathode of a vacuum gap is most likely to initiate vacuum breakdown.