Fabrication of Stable Carbon Nanotube Cold Cathode Electron Emitters with Post-Growth Electrical Aging.

Jung Hyun Kim,Jung Su Kang,Kyu Chang Park

doi:10.3390/mi9120648

Abstract

We fabricated carbon nanotube (CNT) cold cathode emitters with enhanced and stable electron emission properties and long-time stability with electrical aging as a post-treatment. Our CNT field emitters showed improved electrical properties by electrical aging. We set the applied bias for effective electrical aging, with the bias voltage defined at the voltage where Joule heating appeared. At the initial stage of aging, the electron emission current started to increase and then was saturated within 3 h. We understood that 5 h aging time was enough at proper aging bias. If the aging bias is higher, excessive heating damages CNT emitters. With the electrical aging, we obtained improved electron emission current from 3 mA to 6 mA. The current of 6 mA was steadily driven for 9 h.

Highlights

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have attracted much attention in vacuum nanoelectronic applications, especially in the field of cold cathode-based vacuum devices
We studied the enhancement of electrical properties of CNT emitters for their application as cold cathode emitters. [8,9] The stable and long-term lifetime of a CNT-based cold cathode electron beam (C-beam) is one of the most important requirements for commercialization
We developed the electrical aging techniques to fabricate high-performance CNT cold cathode emitters

Summary

Introduction

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have attracted much attention in vacuum nanoelectronic applications, especially in the field of cold cathode-based vacuum devices. The improved crystallinity could enhance the electrical characteristics, such as lower turn-on field and better stability of electron emission. In a high field emission current, Joule heating by an electron current through CNT emitters and non-uniform electron emission from each CNT emitter was a serious issue to be solved for lifetime enhancement. The crystallinity of CNT emitters is one of the most important factors to enhance electron emission We used this thermal energy by resistive heating on CNT emitters for the structural modification of the CNT emitters. Relatively weak CNT emitters are removed by resistive heating during electrical aging at high currents [10–20]. Relatively weak CNT emitters are removed by resistive Mhiecraotminacghindeus r2i0n18g, 9e,l6e4c8trical aging at high currents [10–20].

Materials and Methods

Electrically aged