Growth and field emission of carbon nanotubes on electroplated Ni catalystcoated on glass substrates

Carbon nanotubes are grown on Ni catalyst coated on soda-lime glass substra tes using chemical vapor deposition of C2H2 gas at 550 degreesC. Ni film is coated on the surface of Ag film using the electroplating method. Ni was e tched by ammonia (NH3) gas in order to form nanometer sized catalytic parti cles before carbon nanotube growth. Pd film is applied as a gas activator t o decrease the growth temperature of carbon nanotubes. The carbon nanotubes grown on Ni catalyst particles showed a multiwalled structure with defecti ve graphite sheets at the wall. The turn-on voltage was about 2.8 V/mum wit h an emission current density of 10 muA/cm(2), and the threshold voltage wa s about 4.0 V/mum with an emission current density of 10 mA/cm(2). The Fowl er-Nordheim plot showed a good linear fit, indicating that the emission cur rent of carbon nanotubes follows Fowler-Nordheim behavior. The calculated f ield enhancement factor was 2850. (C) 2001 American Institute of Physics.