On Fri, 19 Nov 2004 09:06:47 +0000 (GMT), Jim Lesurf
wrote:

In article , Don Pearce
wrote:
On Thu, 18 Nov 2004 09:04:38 +0000 (GMT), Jim Lesurf
wrote:


I am not quite sure how:

A) multiple field emitters, polotrons, and various other vacuum-state
devices.

B) high mobility / ballistic or quantum well/dot or multiple barried SS
devices.

fit into the above picture. My understanding is that they have been
developed during the last couple of decades, and in some cases required
new understanding of the relevant physics and/or novel fabrication
methods.

Don't know if any of them have been used in audio, though. :-)

I think that last sentence sums up the position of valves in the
mainstream. And are your B) devices products of valve research or solid
state research?

Vaguely speaking, A = valves, B = solid state.

Slainte,

Jim

It is just that there are certainly devices that use free electrons
(not bound into any kind of lattice) emitted from sharp points in what
looks on the tiny scale involved like a vacuum. I think that in such
cases it is very hard to decide what you are really looking at.

d
Pearce Consulting
http://www.pearce.uk.com