Abstract
A SHORT while ago, Kramer1 directed attention to the fact that abraded or worked metal surfaces emit negatively charged particles which can activate an open-ended Geiger–Müller counter operated in air. Kramer assumed the particles to be electrons, emitted owing to phase changes occurring on the freshly disturbed metal surface. Haxel, Houtermans and Seeger2 confirmed these observations, but offered an explanation based on adsorption phenomena. Gobrecht and Barsch3 brought forward evidence that changes of phase are not directly responsible for the phenomenon. Work at the Mechanical Engineering Research Laboratory confirmed the previous observations, but also established by measurements of ionic mobility that the particles triggering the counter are oxygen-molecule ions. It was further found that the ‘active’ areas behave essentially as having a lower work function than is usually ascribed to the particular metal. Abraded specimens or evaporated films gave thermionic counts at lower temperatures and photoelectric counts at longer wave-lengths than aged or unabraded surfaces of the same metal.
Similar content being viewed by others
Article PDF
References
Kramer, J., “Der metallische Zustand” (Göttingen, 1950). Z. Phys., 125, 739 (1949); 128, 538 (1950); 129, 34 (1951).
Haxel, O., Houtermans, F. G., and Seeger, K., Z. Phys., 130, 109 (1951).
Gobrecht, H., and Barsch, G., Z. Phys., 132, 129 (1952).
Grunberg, L., and Wright, K. H. R., Nature, 170, 456 (1952).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
GRUNBERG, L., WRIGHT, K. Kramer and Russell Effects with Single Crystals of Zinc. Nature 171, 890 (1953). https://doi.org/10.1038/171890a0
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/171890a0
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.