Fabrication of stable carbon nanotube cold cathode electron emitters with electrical aging

Abstract

We studied on the fabrication and improved field emission properties of carbon nanotube (CNT) cold cathode electron emitters with electrical aging. Our CNT field emitters have improved electron emission properties with thermal and electrical aging. For the set-up of electrical aging, we used bias voltage at Joule heating appeared. Our CNT emitters show increases of electron emission at initial stage of aging and then saturation of emission current. With the electrical aging, we obtained enhanced electron emission from 3 mA to 5.5 mA and long-time stable operation.