On achieving better uniform carbon nanotube field emission by electrical treatment and the underlying mechanism

摘要

The uniformity in field emission from a carbon nanotube film is very important to many applications. A study has been carried out to obtain uniform emission from multiwall carbon nanotube (CNT) films by electrical treatment. The electrical treatment is based on local vacuum breakdown of CNTs under direct-current conditions. The optimal current density was found, under which the best effect of the treatment may be observed. The physical mechanism responsible for the effect of local vacuum breakdown of CNTs on emission uniformity was investigated.