Atomic decoration for improving the efficiency of field electron emission of carbon nanotubes

TL;DR

This study uses simulations to show that terminating carbon nanotubes with -BH or -NH groups enhances electron emission efficiency and stability compared to oxygen termination.

Contribution

It introduces atomic decoration as a method to improve field electron emission and stability of carbon nanotubes.

Findings

-BH and -NH terminations significantly reduce the apex-vacuum barrier.

Higher emission currents are achieved with -BH and -NH terminations.

Terminations with -BH and -NH are more stable than oxygen or hydrogen saturation.

Abstract

The field electron emission from the single-walled carbon nanotubes with their open ends terminated by -BH, -NH, and -O has been simulated. The apex-vacuum barrier and the emission current have been calculated. It has been found that -BH and -NH suppress the apex-vacuum barrier significantly and lead to higher emission current in contrast to the -O terminated structure in the same applied field. The calculated binding energy implies that the carbon nanotubes terminated with -BH and -NH are more stable than those saturated by oxygen atoms or by hydrogen atoms.