Photolithography-based carbon nanotubes patterning for field emission displays

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) emitters were successfully patterned in small pixel s (50 x 50 mum(2)) by using photolithography process on a hard metal electr ode for field emission displays (FEDs) application. The CNTs particles in t he patterned pixels were uniformly distributed on 2-inch diagonal substrate s. The maximum diameter of CNTs particles could be controlled less than 20 mum. After patterning and heat treatment process below 300 degreesC, most o f CNTs bundles on the cathode electrode were aligned perpendicular to the s ubstrates. The threshold electric field of emission for patterned CNTs was about 4.2 V mum(-1) and the field enhancement factor derived from the Fowle r-Nordheim plots of the electron emissions was about 100 000 in the high vo ltage region. This newly developed process can be applicable to field emitt er arrays for high resolution FEDs. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All righ ts reserved.