Electron ray tracing for nanopyramid-shaped single-atom field emitter using electric field analysis by 3-D boundary charge method

The clarification of why the electron beam is so narrowly confined is presented. The electric potential and field distributions around the single atom field emitter (SAFE) are calculated using 3D boundary charge method, and the trajectories of electrons emitted from the nanopyramid-shaped SAFE are simulated. Results reveal that the narrow confinement of the electron beam emitted from the nanopyramid-shaped SAFE is predominantly affected by the electric field around the SAFE rather than by the quantum mechanical effect.