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secondary emission coefficient

physics
Also known as: secondary emission ratio

Quick Summary

Secondary emission is the ejection of electrons from a solid surface when it's bombarded by charged particles like electrons or ions. This occurs when the bombarding particles transfer kinetic energy to electrons within the material, giving them enough energy to escape the surface.1

The ratio of ejected electrons to bombarding electrons is called the secondary emission coefficient. This effect is crucial in devices like photomultiplier tubes, which amplify weak electric currents, and in image intensifiers that brighten faint images. Secondary emission can also happen in insulators, and coating metal electrodes with thin insulator layers can increase the yield of ejected electrons.21

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