FIELD-EMISSION OF CARBON NANOTUBES ON MO TIP

Field emission characteristics of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were investi gated. CNTs were produced by the catalytic decomposition of ethylene o n nickel films, which were electroplated onto Mo tips. The SEM images showed that CNTs were quite uniform and disordered; the average diamet er is about 100 nm. The measurements were carried out in a diode confi guration. As a result, the CNTs showed typical voltage-current charact eristics, which qualitatively followed the conventional Fowler-Nordhei m equation. In conclusion, CNTs are excellent field emission cathode m aterials with stable and reproducible field emission characteristics a nd a lower onset field, which is up to 0.9 V/mu m. (C) 1998 Elsevier S cience B.V. All rights reserved.