Variation of emission-adsorption properties in an operating TEC collector

A high permeability to cesium has been revealed in tungsten layers transferred from the thermionic energy converter (TEC) emitter to collector. Absorbed cesium reduces the energy of cesium desorption from the collector surface. Collector specimens with tungsten films deposited by the emitter-to-collector mass transfer proceeding in the TEC interelectrode space have been studied, and thermoemission microscopy investigations of the process have been carried out. A relationship has been established between the position of the work function minima in curves e psi =f(T/T/sub CS/) and cesium vapor pressure.<>