A setup for the study of surface processes under external homogeneous electric fields

A setup for studying the influence of external electric fields on dynamic surface processes is described. Spatially-extended homogeneous electric fields are realized by applying a DC voltage in between a planar electrode and a metallic substrate, which are separated by a narrow vacuum gap. The functional capability of the device is demonstrated by recording the field-emission characteristic as a function of the applied field up to 2.3 V/nm, revealing proper Fowler-Nordheim tunneling behavior.