The electron field and photo-field emission from GaN nanostructures has been analyzed in this review. In order to explain the obtained experimental results, a model was proposed taking into account the change in carrier concentration distribution in the main and the satellite valley during the emission process. The lowering of work function (due to the increased number of carriers in the satellite valley) can explain the decrease in the Fowler-Nordheim plot slope. It was shown that the energy difference between the main and satellite valley in GaN was decreased in the case of quantum confinement, thus increasing the probability of electron transition from Γ to X valley at same electric fields.

Investigations of electron photo-field emission demonstrated that the Fowler–Nordheim plots of the emission current have different slopes for nonilluminated and illuminated devices. A model based on the electron emission from valleys having different specific electron affinities is proposed to explain the experimental results. In the absence of illumination the emission takes place only from the lower valley. Upon UV illumination and presence of a high electric field at the emitter tip, the upper valley of the conduction band appears to be occupied by electrons generated at the valence band.

Photofield emission from SiGe nanoislands formed by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) have been investigated. Two types of nanoislands, namely the domes and pyramids with different heights, have been addressed. It was found that the arrays of SiGe nanoislands exhibited a low onset voltage for field emission. The increase of emission current and the decrease of the curve slope in Fowler-Nordheim coordinates under green light illumination have been revealed. Electron field emission and photoemission from SiGe nanoislands have been explained based on the energy band diagram of Si-Ge heterostructure and some energy barriers have been determined.