Work function

The work function is the minimum energy (usually measured in electron volts) needed to remove an electron from the Fermi level in a metal to a point at infinite distance away outside the surface. The work function is generally about half the ionization energy of a free atom of the metal. For example, Caesium has ionization energy 3.9 eV and work function 1.9 eV.

Applications

In electronics the work function is important for design of the metal-semiconductor junction in Schottky diodes and for design of vacuum tubes.

Related Topics:
Electronics - Metal - Semiconductor - Schottky diode - Vacuum tubes

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