Low-voltage planar field emitters based on carbon nanotubes

Abstract

Planar field emitters based on carbon nanotubes are studied in an ultrahigh-vacuum chamber and sealed-off vacuum devices. In the sealed-off devices, an emission current of 1 mA is obtained at a mean electric field of 5.2–5.8 V/μm and the relative fluctuation of the emission current is 0.2–0.4%. The emission characteristics of the devices remain unchanged over a storage period of one year.