Non-equilibrium thermionic electron emission for metals at high temperatures

The stationary thermionic electron emission currents from heated metals are compared against an analytical expression derived using a non equilibrium quantum Kappa energy distribution for the electrons. This later depends on the temperature decreasing parameter \(\kappa(T)\) which can be estimated from the raw experimental data and characterizes the departure of the electron energy spectrum from the equilibrium Fermi-Dirac statistics. The calculations accurately predict the measured thermionic emission currents for both high and moderate temperature ranges. The Richardson-Dushman law governs the electron emission for large values of Kappa or equivalently, for moderate metal temperatures. The high energy tail in the electron energy distribution function which develops at higher temperatures or lower Kappa parameters, increases the emission currents well over the predictions of the classical expression. This analysis also permits the quantitative estimation of the departure of the metal electrons from the equilibrium Fermi-Dirac statistics.