Abstract: To study non-linear relations between field emission current density and temperature at top surface of a cathode microprotrusion, thermal effects on cathode microprotrusion are investigated numerically at various applied electric fields. Enhancement factor of electric field at top surface of microprotrusion is different as ratio of top radius to bottom radius is changed. It leads to obvious difference in temperature distribution in microprotrusion when temperature at microprotrusion peak reaches melting point of cathode material. At a given applied electric field, the smaller the ratio of top radius to bottom radius of microprotrusion, the shorter the time delay of explosive emission. Time delay of explosive emission increases exponentially with decrease of applied electric field.

Key words: field induced explosive emission, cathode, microprotrusion shape, thermal effect