US 2006/0066202 A1 · Carbon nanotube high-current-density field emitters

Abstract

High-current density field emission sources using arrays of nanofeatures bundles and methods of manufacturing such field emission sources are provided. Variable field emission performance is provided with the variance in the bundle diameter and the inter-bundle spacing, and optimal geometries for the lithographically patterned arrays were determined. Arrays of 1-μm and 2-μm diameter multi-walled carbon nanotube bundles spaced 5 μm apart (edge-to-edge spacing) were identified as the most optimum combination, routinely producing 1.5 to 1.8 A/cm2 at low electric fields of approximately 4 V/μm, rising to >6 A/cm2 at 20 V/μm over a ˜100-μm-diameter area.

Claims24

Dependent claims

A high density field emitter comprising:

a plurality of nanofeature bundles disposed on a substrate each of said bundles comprising a plurality of individual nanofeatures and being characterized by a nanofeature bundle dimension defining the spatial cross-section of the individual nanofeature bundles, said bundles being arranged on said substrate in an ordered array characterized by an array dimension defining the edge-to-edge spacing between each said nanofeature bundle, wherein the bundle dimension is sufficiently large to ensure formation of cohesive bundle structures but sufficiently small to prevent electrostatic screening between nanofeatures, and wherein the array dimension is sufficiently small to prevent drooping of the nanofeature bundles.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Carbon nanotube high-current-density field emitters

Life of this patent

Carbon nanotube high-current-density field emitters

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims24