Modelling Nano- and Microscale Vacuum Electronics A molecular dynamics approach

A molecular dynamics based code has been developed for high-fidelity simulations of nano- and microscale vacuum electronics. The force acting upon any electron in the system is calculated directly from the applied fields and Coulomb interaction with every other electron in the system and all of the image charge. This code captures scattering and other important discrete particle effects in proximity to the cathode better than Particle-in-Cell and fluid codes that are commonly used for simulation of electron beams. Electron emission is treated stochastically in a self-consistent manner with regard to space-charge effects.