Field emission from diameter‐defined single‐walled carbon nanotubes

Abstract

Field electron emission (FE) from a structure‐defined single‐walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) was observed experimentally. A series of observations of the same SWNT by scanning electron microscopy, field emission microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy were performed for the characterization of the SWNT emitter. This characterization work was very difficult because the observations affected the sample. Additionally, different sample setups were needed in each observation. We improved measurement conditions to minimize the influence to SWNT and developed techniques of sample setup for these observations. Combining these techniques, FE from an individual diameter‐defined SWNT could be observed. The diameter of SWNT was ∼1.73 nm, and the FE current of 2.2 × 10 −7 A was obtained at a low applied voltage of 270 V. We observed behaviors of the SWNT emitter including field emission microscopy image twisting during FE. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.