Use of a spreadsheet for Fowler-Nordheim equation calculations

Field electron emission theory as developed in the 1950´s and 1960´s was incomplete, in the sense that it contained no formally exact treatment of how to analyse the intercept of a Fowler-Nordheim plot. Such a treatment is readily developed by introducing additional functions broadly similar to the earlier correction factors. Due to hesitations about the correctness of Nordheim´s assumption, the formal treatment is best presented in terms of generalised correction factors. But, within the framework of calculations based on Nordheim´s assumption, the treatment involves the definition of three new functions: a further Nordheim-type function, the intercept correction factor, and the exact emission-area extraction function.