Field Electron Emission from Layers with Very Long and Sparse Carbon Nanotubes

Abstract

For carbon layers with very long and sparse nanotubes (nanofilaments) field electron emission at very low average electric field was observed. Field emission current of 10 µA was obtained at the average electric field E_av=0.16 V/µm and the value of the field amplification coefficient β reached 45,000. At high emission currents (exceeding 30–50 µA) one or several luminous nanotubes (nanofilaments) heated by the emission cuurent have been observed in the gap between the sample and the anode.

Keywords:

• Carbon nanotube
• field electron emission
• field amplification coefficient
• luminous nanotubes

Acknowledgments

The work was supported by ISTC (Project 1024.2) and Russian Foundation of Basic Research, grant # 02‐03‐33335. The authors thank Dr. E.G. Chirkova for her assistance in the treatment of experimental results.