Fermi levels, thermionic work function...

[Otispunkmeyer]

What are the units for the work function? I am sure it is eV, electron volts, but I am reading a book that simply writes work functions as for example 2 - 5 v (little v).

Now this can't be volts because later in the book he uses V as the symbol for potential. It is quite an old book and he talks about electric fields in terms of volts per angstrom! I have to assume at the moment then that little v is some how short hand for eV.

Any of the older and wiser science guys in this place have any idea?

[hairykrishna]

It's an energy so normally in eV. Can't help with the 'v' - it'd be very odd to abbreviate eV to that and I've never encountered it. What's the book?

[Otispunkmeyer]

Something to the effect of "field emission and field ionisation" by R Gomer.1961