Editing Thermionic converter (section)

{{short description|Power generation device}}
{{Use American English|date=February 2019}}
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{{More citations needed|date=December 2016}}
{{Original research|date=December 2016}}
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A '''thermionic converter''' consists of a hot electrode which [[thermionic emission|thermionically emits]] [[electron]]s over a potential [[activation energy|energy barrier]] to a cooler electrode, producing a useful electric power output. [[Caesium]] vapor is used to optimize the electrode [[work function]]s and provide an [[ion]] supply (by [[surface ionization]] or [[electron impact ionization]] in a plasma) to neutralize the electron [[space charge]].