Low-Temperature CVD Carbon Nanotubes on Glass Plates for Flat Panel Display Applications

摘要

Low-temperature chemical vapor deposition processes were studied for coating carbon nanotubes on metal-coated glass plates. Thermal CVD in hydrocarbon mixtures was used for carbon nanotube deposition at temperatures between 300 deg C and 550 deg C. Carbon nanotubes deposited on metal coated glass plates were examined by SEM and analyzed using a pin to disk setup in an ultra high vacuum chamber for measuring the electron emission characteristics. Using a one-millimeter diameter tungsten rod with a hemispherical tip as the anode while the carbon nanotube coatings as the cathode, current-voltage characteristics of the carbon nanotube coatings were measured and used for calculating the electric field at which electron emission started as well as calculating the field enhancement factor of the carbon nanotubes. Field emission of electrons from carbon nanotubes starting from an electric field as low as 1.4 volts per micrometer has been achieved.