Electron-Bombardment Conductivity of Dielectric Films

Films of some dielectrics become conductive under the influence of electron bombardment. This conductivity is investigated both for steady and for alternating bombardment in its dependence particularly on temperature, current density and the potential difference across the dielectric. The gain, i.e. the ratio of current through the film to the bombarding current increases strongly with temperature. On arsenic sulphide films, the gain reaches 40,000. The effect is discussed in the light of theories of conduction in dielectrics and of recent work on allied subjects.