Use of a spreadsheet for Fowler-Nordheim equation calculations

Field electron emission theory as developed in the 1950's and 1960's was incomplete, in the sense that it contained no formally exact treatment of how to analyse the intercept of a Fowler-Nordheim plot. Such a treatment is readily developed by introducing additional functions broadly similar to the earlier correction factors. Due to hesitations about the correctness of Nordheim's assumption, the formal treatment is best presented in terms of generalised correction factors. But, within the framework of calculations based on Nordheim's assumption, the treatment involves the definition of three new functions: a further Nordheim-type function, the intercept correction factor, and the exact emission-area extraction function.