Luminescence uniformity studies on dendrite bamboo carbon submicron-tube field-emitter arrays

This is a study on the field emission (FE) from carbon submicron-tube multiwall covered with carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), which forms a dendrite structure as a field-emitter array, by chemical vapor deposition method. To improve the FE luminescence uniformity, the bamboo carbon submicron tubes are grown on a reactive current limiting layer. We show that the same screening effect observed on MWCNT field emitters has been eliminated because the emitter tip distance of bamboo carbon submicron tubes is large enough, such as larger than twofold the diameter. A low turn-on field of similar to 1.1 V/mu m and a high current density of similar to 500 mu A/cm(2) were obtained. The FE aging property curve shows current stability has been improved, and the luminescence uniformity has been improved as can be seen from the luminescence photo with four layers. (c) 2008 American Vacuum Society.