Abstract
Abstract The field electron emission of carbon nanotubes has been heavily studied over the past two decades for various applications, such as in display technologies, microwave amplifiers, and spacecraft propulsion. However, a commercializable lightweight and internally gated electron source has yet to be realized. Electrical shorting of the gate to the substrate is a common and problematic failure mode for Spindt type carbon nanotube electron sources, severely limiting their manufacturability. This work explores the novel use of an oxygen plasma etch to reverse this shorting. Plasma treatments on CNTs are commonly used to improve FE performance, but no work presents the use of a plasma etch to reverse shorting. The oxygen plasma etch is shown to be a simple and highly effective method to reverse shorting and increase yield of open circuit Spindt type CNT electron sources by over 70%.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
