FIELD-EMISSION-INDUCED LUMINESCENCE FROM CARBON NANOTUBES

We report on the observation of luminescence during electron field emi ssion on singlewall and multiwall carbon nanotubes. Spectra acquired a t different emitted currents, as well as the dependence of the lumines cence intensity with the current, show that the light emission is not due to blackbody radiation or to current-induced heating. In fact, our results suggest that the light emission is caused by electron transit ions between different electronic levels participating in the field em ission.