P. Thalmann

Scale invariance of a diodelike tunnel junction

We measure the current vs voltage (I-V) characteristics of a diodelike tunnel junction consisting of a sharp metallic tip placed at a variable distance d from a planar collector and emitting electrons via electric-field assisted emission. All curves collapse onto one single graph when I is plotted as a function of the single scaling variable Vd^{-λ}, d being varied from a few mm to a few nm, i.e., by about six orders of magnitude. We provide an argument that finds the exponent λ within the singular behavior inherent to the electrostatics of a sharp tip. A simulation of the tunneling barrier for a realistic tip reproduces both the scaling behavior and the small but significant deviations from scaling observed experimentally.