Diamond/carbon nanotube structures for efficient electron field emission

A field emission cathode in a electron field emitter comprised of a substrate, nanotubes coating the substrate and a substantially uniform coating of diamond or diamond like carbon on the nanotubes, said diamond and diamond-like carbon having a negative electron affinity being present in an amount to sufficiently retard the evaporation of carbon from the nanotubes when the cathode is utilized in electron field emission.

A method of enhancing the electron field emission from an electron field emitter having a cathode comprised of nanotubes coating a substrate, said method comprising substantially uniformly coating the nanotube with an enhancing electron field emission effective amount of either diamond or diamond-like carbon.

A method for retarding the evaporation of carbon from an electron field emitter containing a cathode in which the cathode is comprised of carbon nanotubes, which method comprises coating the nanotubes with a carbon evaporating inhibiting effective amount of either diamond or diamond-like carbon.

A method of forming a field emission cathode structure comprising a substrate having a nanotube field emission cathode affixed thereto that comprises coating the field emission surface of said nanotube cathode with a diamond or diamond-like carbon having a negative electron affinity in an amount effective to retard evaporation of carbon from the coated surface of said nanotube.

A method of forming a field emission cathode structure comprising a substrate having a nanotube field emission cathode affixed thereon, wherein said nanotube is affixed to the substrate by depositing the nanotube on the substrate, in situ during the process of forming the nanotube in a carbon vaporizing process wherein the nanotube is formed by condensation of vaporized carbon in a nanotube forming atmosphere prior to its deposition on the substrate.