---
title: "Electron emission"
chunk: 1/1
source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electron_emission"
category: "reference"
tags: "science, encyclopedia"
date_saved: "2026-05-05T10:55:07.536321+00:00"
instance: "kb-cron"
---

In physics, electron emission is the ejection of an electron from the surface of matter, or, in beta decay (β− decay), where a beta particle (a fast energetic electron or positron) is emitted from an atomic nucleus transforming the original nuclide to an isobar.


== Radioactive decay ==

In Beta decay (β− decay), radioactive decay results in a beta particle (fast energetic electron or positron in β+ decay) being emitted from the nucleus


== Surface emission ==

Thermionic emission, the liberation of electrons from an electrode by virtue of its temperature
Schottky emission, due to the:
Schottky effect or field enhanced thermionic emission
Field electron emission, emission of electrons induced by an electrostatic field


=== Devices ===

An electron gun or electron emitter, is an electrical component in some vacuum tubes that uses surface emission


== Others ==
Exoelectron emission, a weak electron emission, appearing only from pretreated objects
Photoelectric effect, the emission of electrons when electromagnetic radiation, such as light, hits a material


== See also ==
Positron emission, (of a positron or "antielectron") is one aspect of β+ decay
Electron excitation, the transfer of an electron to a higher atomic orbital


== References ==