Dynamic measurement of work function with the field emission microscope

A technique to measure the work function of surfaces covered with adsorbate, during a linear temperature sweep of the emitter using the field emission probe hole microscope is described. A microcomputer records the field emission current values for each applied voltage and calculates the work function and the preexponential factor in real time with the Fowler Nordheim equation. The process is repeated for each temperature value of the desorption spectrum. The technique has been used to study the desorption of hydrogen from tungsten (111).