Title:
A thin film triode type carbon nanotube field emission cathode
A thin film triode type carbon nanotube field emission cathode
Author(s)
Sanborn, Graham
Turano, Stephan
Collins, Peter
Ready, W. Jud
Turano, Stephan
Collins, Peter
Ready, W. Jud
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Abstract
The field electron emission of carbon nanotubes has been heavily studied over the past
two decades for various applications, such as in display technologies, microwave amplifiers, and
spacecraft propulsion. However, a commercializable lightweight and internally gated electron
source has yet to be realized. This work presents the fabrication and testing of a novel internally
gated carbon nanotube field electron emitter. Several specific methods are used to prevent
electrical shorting of the gate layer, a common failure for internally gated devices. A unique design
is explored where the etch pits extend into the Si substrate and isotropic etching is used to create a
lateral buffer zone between the gate and carbon nanotubes. Carbon nanotubes are self-aligned to
and within 10 microns from the gate, which creates large electric fields at low potential inputs.
Initial tests confirm high field emission performance with an anode current density (based on total
area of the device) of 293 μA cm-2 and a gate current density of 1.68 mA cm-2 at 250 V.
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Date Issued
2013-08
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Article