Effects of oxygen adsorption on carbon nanotube field emitters - art. no. 125401

Effects of oxygen adsorption on the field emission of carbon nanotubes are studied through first-principles calculations. Calculated emission currents are significantly enhanced when oxygen is adsorbed at the tip and the unde rlying physics is explained in terms of the change in the electronic struct ure by oxidation and the local field increase at the adsorption site. The i ssue of the current degradation accompanied by the oxidative etching is als o addressed. The field-emission-microscopy images on the phosphor screen ar e simulated, displaying various patterns characteristic of each adsorption configuration.