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Elimination of current non-uniformity in carbon nanotube field emitters

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Abstract

Activation of abnormal emitting sites in Carbon Nano Tube (CNT) field emitters and their elimination is reported. CVD grown, patterned CNT was used as cathode for field emission studies. We encountered the problem of current non-uniformity in CNT cathode. This non-uniformity was attributed to abnormally active emitting sites during voltage ramp-up. The sudden increase in current resulted in region of positive slope in F–N curve, which can’t be explained by conventional F–N theory. Also the grown CNTs can be a mixture of metallic and semi conducting nature, which may cause deviation from the conventional F–N theory. We could eliminate abnormally active sites by electric field treatment, thereby increasing current uniformity and stability. The work is underway to understand the deviation in FN curve at high fields.

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Acknowledgement

The authors wish to acknowledge Silicon Group of Solid State Physics Laboratory for doing photolithography over Silicon.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Solid State Physics Laboratory, Lucknow Road Timarpur, Delhi, 110054, India

    Preeti Verma, Poornendu Chaturvedi, J. S. B. S. Rawat, Manohar Kumar, Surendra Pal, Mahesh Bal, D. S. Rawal,  Harsh & Hanuman Prasad Vyas

  2. Defence Metallurgical Research Laboratory, Hyderabad, India

    Partha Ghosal

  3. Delhi University, South Campus, Delhi, India

    P. K. Bhatnagar

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  1. Preeti Verma
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  2. Poornendu Chaturvedi
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  3. J. S. B. S. Rawat
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  4. Manohar Kumar
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  5. Surendra Pal
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  6. Mahesh Bal
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  7. D. S. Rawal
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  8. Harsh
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  9. Hanuman Prasad Vyas
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  10. Partha Ghosal
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  11. P. K. Bhatnagar
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Correspondence to Preeti Verma.

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Verma, P., Chaturvedi, P., Rawat, J.S.B. et al. Elimination of current non-uniformity in carbon nanotube field emitters. J Mater Sci: Mater Electron 18, 677–680 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-006-9079-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-006-9079-2

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