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I've been thinking about this for a few days now, would this even be possible? There is another question like this being asked but via the photoelectric effect utilizing lasers. What if we used a nuclear electron source?

Wouldn't that help with the inefficiencies related to the heater with vacuum tubes?

Thanks

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  • \$\begingroup\$ There are enough other reasons to not use vacuum tubes, I don't think heater inefficiency is the driving factor (search on "cold cathode vacuum tube"). And I think that if you made a cathode with material that was a strong enough beta emitter to be useful you would (A) not have a cathode for very long, (B) the cathode would self-heat more than enough to emit electrons, and very possibly (C) hanging out close to the vacuum tube would be lethal because of gamma-ray emission along with the beta rays. \$\endgroup\$
    – TimWescott
    Oct 30, 2021 at 19:59

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This has been used in some Krytrons to replace or supplement a separate electrode whose purpose is to pre-ionize some gas near the cathode to make formation of the main current-carrying arc faster.

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