Field emission from single multi-wall carbon nanotubes

TL;DR

This study investigates the electron field emission properties of individual multi-walled carbon nanotubes, demonstrating stable emission behavior, modeling the emission characteristics, and exploring the effects of electron beam irradiation.

Contribution

It provides detailed experimental analysis and modeling of field emission from single multi-walled carbon nanotubes, including effects of electron beam irradiation.

Findings

Turn-on field of about 30 V/um

Field enhancement factor around 100

Stable emission current behavior

Abstract

Electron field emission characteristics of individual multiwalled carbon nanotubes have been investigated by a piezoelectric nanomanipulation system operating inside a scanning electron microscopy chamber. The experimental setup ensures a high control capability on the geometric parameters of the field emission system (CNT length, diameter and anode-cathode distance). For several multiwalled carbon nanotubes, reproducible and quite stable emission current behaviour has been obtained with a dependence on the applied voltage well described by a series resistance modified Fowler-Nordheim model. A turn-on field of about 30 V/um and a field enhancement factor of around 100 at a cathode-anode distance of the order of 1 um have been evaluated. Finally, the effect of selective electron beam irradiation on the nanotube field emission capabilities has been extensively investigated.