High-Performance Field Electron Emitters Fabricated Using a Free-Standing Carbon Nanotube Film

The carbon nanotube (CNT) field emitter was fabricated using a thin free-standing CNT film, indicating a line-shape CNT field emitter. Field emission properties of the CNT field emitter were investigated in both diode and triode configurations. The CNT field emitter showed a low turn-on electric field of 1.8 V/mu m and a high emission current of 40.3 mA, corresponding to the emission current density of 96 A/cm(2) in the diode configuration. It also exhibited a high anode current of 40 mA, corresponding to the anode current density of 95.2 A/cm(2) in the triode configuration. In addition, the CNT field emitter showed a good electron beam transmittance of 86.4% and excellent emission stability without degradation for 15 h. The main reason for the high performance of our CNT field emitter is caused by the high density of emission sites at the edge of the CNT film.