AVS 46th International Symposium
    Topical Conference on Emerging Opportunities and Issues in Nanotubes and Nanoelectronics Thursday Sessions
       Session NT+NS+EM+MS-ThM

Paper NT+NS+EM+MS-ThM11
Characterization of Oriented Carbon Nanotube Cathodes for Field Emission Flat Panel Display and Light Source Applications

Thursday, October 28, 1999, 11:40 am, Room 6C

Session: Nanotubes: Nanoelectronics and Field Emission
Presenter: N.N. Chubun, SRPC Istok, Friazino, Russia
Authors: N.N. Chubun, SRPC Istok, Friazino, Russia
A.G. Chakhovskoi, University of California, Davis
C.E. Hunt, University of California, Davis
A.N. Obraztsov, Moscow State University, Russia
Correspondent: Click to Email
Oriented carbon nanotubes were recently reported as a viable material for fabrication of field emission cathodes applicable to flat panel displays and vacuum light sources.@footnote 1@ Field emission properties of diode and triode structures with oriented nanotube cathodes were studied in DC-mode in ultra-high vacuum chamber and in sealed glass prototype devices. Cathodes of 9x9mm grown using glow-activated direct current discharge CVD method on molybdenum and single crystal silicon substrates were studied at currents up to 2 milliamps using metal or phosphor coated anodes. The nanotubes exhibited various degrees of initial surface orientation depending on parameters of the deposition process. An additional orientation of the nanotubes in electric filed during first activation of the cathodes was observed. Monochrome low-voltage FPD phosphors were used for cathodoluminescent brightness/light efficiency characterization and for monitoring of distribution of the filed emission sites. Turn-on voltages varied from 1 to 5 V per micron depending on the extraction electrode configuration. Influence of vacuum conditions and initial training on stability and lifetime of the cathodes was studied. I/V characteristics of the nanotube cathodes were directly compared to those of carbon fiber and carbon foam emitters and to diamond-coated field emission arrays showing potentially greater reproducibility and uniformity of filed emission of the oriented nanotube cathodes. @FootnoteText@ @footnote 1@ A.N.Obraztsov, I.Yu.Pavlovsky, A.P.Volkov, V.L.Kuztetsov, A.L.Chuvilin. MRS 1999 Spring Meeting, San Francisco, CA, April 1999, p.B.4.9/C.2.9.