Measurement of the C12A7:e- thermionic emission enhancement due to photon exposure

Abstract In this work, a test set-up device is designed, developed and manufactured to perform direct measurement of the current emission enhancement that photon absorption can bring thermionic in Photon-Enhanced Thermionic Emission Device (PETED) where C12A7:e- electride used as semiconductor due its low work function value 2.4 eV. Even though measured starts at operational temperatures, obtaining for example density 5 mA/cm 2 500 °C, there barely an increase 1% when exposed source photons. This effect mainly presence dielectric layer material surface, which acts barrier, reduces from excitation, drives limited efficiency 27 μA/cm /W.