Unique characteristics of cold cathode carbon-nanotube-matrix field emitters

Journal Article · Tue Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1997 · Physical Review, B: Condensed Matter

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.55.9391· OSTI ID:560697

Collins, P G; Zettl, A ^[1]

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1. Department of Physics, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720 (United States)

The attributes of electron field emission from disordered matrix arrays of carbon nanotubes are studied and found to be quite reproducible in spite of the disorder, density, and quality variations from sample to sample. At low applied electric fields, the electron field emission current-voltage characteristics qualitatively follow conventional Fowler-Nordheim behavior up to a critical current density. However, the current rise at low applied fields is anomalously steep, suggesting that the Fowler-Nordheim model is not sufficient to quantitatively characterize the emission. In the high-field region, the emission characteristics have a more complex behavior. In that regime, the instantaneous field emission is reminiscent of the low-field behavior, but discrete switching events lead to an overall current suppression. We attribute the sudden and well-defined onset of the switching events to interactions between neighboring nanotube tips. By correlating the switching behavior to the current-voltage characteristics, we rule out other physical processes that cause similar effects. {copyright} {ital 1997} {ital The American Physical Society}

• Research Organization: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
• DOE Contract Number: AC03-76SF00098
• OSTI ID: 560697
• Journal Information: Physical Review, B: Condensed Matter, Journal Name: Physical Review, B: Condensed Matter Journal Issue: 15 Vol. 55; ISSN 0163-1829; ISSN PRBMDO
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
CRITICAL CURRENT
CURRENT DENSITY
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
ELECTRIC MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
ELECTRON EMISSION
FIELD EMISSION
FOWLER-NORDHEIM THEORY
FULLERENES
TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
nanostructured materials