Carbon nanotube high-current-density field emitters

摘要

High-current density field emission sources using arrays of nanofeatures bundles and methods of manufacturing such field emission sources are provided. Variable field emission performance is provided with the variance in the bundle diameter and the inter-bundle spacing, and optimal geometries for the lithographically patterned arrays were determined. Arrays of 1-μm and 2-μm diameter multi-walled carbon nanotube bundles spaced 5 μm apart (edge-to-edge spacing) were identified as the most optimum combination, routinely producing 1.5 to 1.8 A/cm² at low electric fields of approximately 4 V/μm, rising to 6 A/cm² at 20 V/μm over a ˜100-μm-diameter area.