In situ-grown carbon nanotube array with excellent field emission characteristics

In situ catalytic thermal decomposition method was used for producing align ed multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) in bulk quantities on stable and el ectrically conducting substrates. Very low turn-on electric fields of 0.75 V/mu m and low threshold fields of similar to 1.6 V/mu m (for current densi ty of 10 mA/cm(2)) were obtained from the MWNT arrays grown on TiN substrat e. Furthermore, large emission current densities of 1-3 A/cm(2) were obtain ed at reasonably low fields of less than similar to 8 V/mu m. These enhance d emission properties are tentatively attributed to the oriented and high-d ensity nature of the emitting carbon nanotube structure and the high-conduc tivity, stable nature of the TiN substrate onto which the nanotubes are att ached. (C) 2000 American Institute of Physics. [S0003-6951(00)05325-0].