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Inorganics
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Electron Emission and Related Phenomena from Inorganic Compound Surfaces
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Electron Emission and Related Phenomena from Inorganic Compound Surfaces

A special issue of Inorganics (ISSN 2304-6740). This special issue belongs to the section "Inorganic Materials".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 October 2026 | Viewed by 4005

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Dan Wang

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Guest Editor
School of Microelectronics, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, China
Interests: secondary electron emission; electron spectroscopy; multipactor; plasma science
Dr. Chao Wang

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Guest Editor
School of Electrical and Information Engineering, Anhui University of Technology, Ma'anshan 243099, China
Interests: secondary emission; flashover; dielectrics; gas discharge; ceramic insulation; 3D printing
Dr. Na Zhang

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Guest Editor
National Key Laboratory of Science and Technology on Space Microwave, China Academy of Space Technology (Xi'an), Xi’an 710049, China
Interests: electron emission; electrostatic discharge; surface treatment; multipactor

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to invite you to contribute to this Special Issue of Inorganics, titled “Electron Emission and Related Phenomena from Inorganic Compound Surfaces”. Electron emission and electron spectroscopy of inorganic materials constitute a cornerstone of modern materials science, bridging fundamental physical phenomena with transformative technological applications. The study of thermal, field, photo-, and secondary electron emission mechanisms provides critical insights into charge transport, surface states, and defect dynamics in materials such as semiconductors, oxides, and nanostructured systems. Advanced techniques, such as Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) and electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS), further enable atomic-scale mapping of chemical states and electronic transitions. These methodologies not only refine material design but also address challenges in energy storage, quantum computing, and environmental sustainability by correlating nanoscale electronic structures with macroscopic properties. In addition, the study of electron emission is valuable for the study of undesirable effects in high-voltage and microwave systems in space, such as secondary electron multiplication discharge (known as multipactor), flashover discharge, and electrostatic discharge (ESD). For the above reasons, we have organized this Special Issue to provide a platform for discussion and exchange of ideas on the topic of electron emission and electron energy spectroscopy and its various related physical phenomena. We look forward to receiving contributions from scholars for this Special Issue.

Dr. Dan Wang
Dr. Chao Wang
Dr. Na Zhang
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Inorganics is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • electron emission
  • electron spectroscopy
  • thermionic emission
  • field emission
  • photoemission
  • photoelectronic emission
  • secondary electron
  • multipactor
  • flashover
  • electrostatic discharge

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 5620 KB  
Article
Study on Secondary Electron Emission from Silver Oxide Coatings and the Effect of Surface Oxidation on Changes in Secondary Electron Emission of Silver
by Yuqing Gu, Wei Fu, Juannan Li and Shiyu Gong
Inorganics 2026, 14(3), 67; https://doi.org/10.3390/inorganics14030067 - 25 Feb 2026
Viewed by 468
Abstract
Metal surfaces exposed to air environments invariably undergo various surface modifications, altering their secondary electron emission coefficient (SEEC). However, the physical mechanisms underlying these surface modifications differ across metals, yielding distinct effects on SEEC. To investigate the SEEC properties of silver oxide and [...] Read more.
Metal surfaces exposed to air environments invariably undergo various surface modifications, altering their secondary electron emission coefficient (SEEC). However, the physical mechanisms underlying these surface modifications differ across metals, yielding distinct effects on SEEC. To investigate the SEEC properties of silver oxide and the impact of surface oxidation on the SEEC of silver, silver oxide and silver coatings were prepared by sputtering, followed by studies of their physical properties and SEEC. Results indicate that under conditions where preparation, storage, and testing were kept as consistent as possible, the SEEC of oxidized silver surfaces is not much different from that of silver-coated surfaces. The SEEC maximum values of silver oxide and silver coatings are 1.7 and 1.6, and the values decreased to 1.5 and 1.4 after ion-sputtering treatment. To validate the impact of surface oxidation on the SEEC of silver, various surface states were achieved on silver substrates. Elemental analysis revealed that vacuum heating effectively removes contaminants from silver coating surfaces, resulting in a significant reduction in SEEC values. Ion sputtering removed contaminants, etched the oxidation layer, and modified the morphology of the silver surface effectively. After 5 min of ion sputtering, the SEEC maximum of the original silver sample decreased from 2.6 to 1.73, and after 15 min of ion sputtering, it further decreased to 1.7. This result indicates that surface oxidation contributes minimally to the SEEC variation of silver exposed to air. The findings revealed in this work hold engineering significance for understanding alterations in the SEEC properties of silver surfaces under different surface conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Electron Emission and Related Phenomena from Inorganic Compound Surfaces)
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16 pages, 9929 KB  
Article
Nonlinear Electrical Conductance Triggered by Partial Discharge of Fluorinated Carbon Nanotube Clusters and Its Applications in Field Grading
by Wei Zeng, Zhen Li, Yu Wang, Lei Cao, Lei Fu and Chao Wang
Inorganics 2026, 14(1), 18; https://doi.org/10.3390/inorganics14010018 - 30 Dec 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 557
Abstract
Materials with nonlinear conductivity are promising for electric field grading in various electrical and electronic devices because of their self-adaptability. In this study, we reported a nonlinear mechanism in fluorinated multi-wall carbon nanotube (F-MWCNT) clusters based on partial discharge in their porous structure. [...] Read more.
Materials with nonlinear conductivity are promising for electric field grading in various electrical and electronic devices because of their self-adaptability. In this study, we reported a nonlinear mechanism in fluorinated multi-wall carbon nanotube (F-MWCNT) clusters based on partial discharge in their porous structure. Excellent nonlinear conductivity featuring a low threshold electric field of around 2 kV/mm and a wide range of switching fields was observed after loading an ultra-low F-MWCNT loading ratio of 0.5 wt% into the UV-cured resin. Both experimental and theoretical analyses were performed to explain the underlying nonlinear mechanism. The improved electric field mitigation effect of the composite with F-MWCNT compared with the conventional inorganic fillers like SiC was validated by a flashover test in compressed SF6 gas. Simulations were also conducted to explain the flashover threshold improvement considering the generation of seed electrons for ionization, which was in agreement with the experimental results. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Electron Emission and Related Phenomena from Inorganic Compound Surfaces)
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15 pages, 3496 KB  
Article
Effect of Composition on Electrical Resistivity and Secondary Electron Emission Regularities of Tantalum Nitride Films Fabricated by Sputtering with Various Nitrogen Gas Flow Ratios
by Yali Su, Quantai Wang and Tiantian Wang
Inorganics 2025, 13(9), 289; https://doi.org/10.3390/inorganics13090289 - 28 Aug 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2045
Abstract
Tantalum nitride (TaN) is a typical transition metal nitride characterized by a wide range of tunable resistivity. Low-resistance TaN even exhibits a resistivity similar to that of metals. Given that electrical resistance influences secondary electron emission (SEE) behavior, this study investigates the relationship [...] Read more.
Tantalum nitride (TaN) is a typical transition metal nitride characterized by a wide range of tunable resistivity. Low-resistance TaN even exhibits a resistivity similar to that of metals. Given that electrical resistance influences secondary electron emission (SEE) behavior, this study investigates the relationship between TaN film resistivity and SEE characteristics. Five TaN films were deposited by varying the N2 gas flow rate during sputtering. Morphological analyses revealed that the film thicknesses ranged from approximately 197 to 281 nm. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) results indicated that the Ta:N atomic ratio of the films ranged from approximately 0.53 to 0.87. Furthermore, XPS detected non-adsorbed oxygen on the surfaces of the TaN films, and more detailed XPS analysis revealed the formation of TaON compounds on the surfaces due to oxygen exposure. X-ray diffraction patterns confirmed that the TaN films contained two crystal phases: Ta2N (002) and TaN (200). Sheet resistivity tests showed that the resistivity of the TaN films ranged from 5.67 × 10−3 to 2.43 Ω·cm. Furthermore, the lower the Ta:N atomic ratio was, the lower the electrical resistivity of the films became. SEE coefficient (SEEC) showed a clear positive correlation with the films’ electrical resistivity. Specifically, films with lower resistivity exhibited reduced SEEC values. When the N2 gas flow rate was 16 sccm (N2:Ar = 16:0), the film exhibited the smallest SEEC (maximum ~1.88); when the N2 flow rate was 0 sccm (N2:Ar = 0:16), the film showed the largest SEEC (maximum ~2.25). This research provides valuable references for expanding the application of TaN films in engineering scenarios involving electrical resistivity adjustment and SEE applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Electron Emission and Related Phenomena from Inorganic Compound Surfaces)
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