Field emission switch

Large positive and negative voltage pulses applied to field emission tips can rearrange atomic or molecular adsorbates on the tip. If this rearrangement persists when field emission is measured at a lower negative voltage, the rearrangement will alter the field emission rate, and the device will function as a switch with memory. This effect has been observed for single sodium atoms adsorbed on a tungsten tip and is applicable to adsorbed films or ferroelectric layers.© 1995 American Institute of Physics.