Study on the vacuum breakdown in field emission of a nest array of multi-walled carbon nanotube/silicon nanoporous pillar array

Jiang, Wei; Li, Long Yu; Xiao, Shun; Dong, Yong Fen; Li, Xin Jian

doi:10.1016/j.mejo.2007.12.019

Cited by 4 publications

(1 citation statement)

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“…One of the most serious issues would be the weak adhesion of CNTs onto a cathode metal substrate, which arises from their low reactivity to other materials [10,11]. CNTs are likely to be detached from the cathode electrode under high electric fields for field electron emissions, which leads to not only degradation of electron emissions but also a fatal electrical arcing along with a deterioration of the vacuum level [12][13][14]. We previously adopted silicon carbide (SiC) and nickel (Ni) nano-particles as a supporting precursor of CNT paste-emitters onto a Kovar-alloy metal substrate and enforced the nanoparticles to be diffused and then reacted onto the substrate through high-temperature post annealing in vacuum, enhancing the adhesion property of CNT field emitters [11,15].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Enhanced interfacial reaction of silicon carbide fillers onto the metal substrate in carbon nanotube paste for reliable field electron emitters

Kim

Lee

et al. 2021

Nanotechnology

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Adhesion of carbon nanotube (CNT) onto a cathode substrate is very crucial for field electron emitters that are operating under high electric fields. As a supporting precursor of CNT field emitters, we adopted silicon carbide (SiC) nano-particle fillers with Ni particles and then enhanced interfacial reactions onto Kovar-alloy substrates through the optimized wet pulverization process of SiC aggregates for reliable field electron emitters. As-purchased SiC aggregates were efficiently pulverized from 20 to less than 1 micro-meter in a median value (D50). CNT pastes for field emitters were distinctively formulated by a mixing process of the pulverized SiC aggregates and pre-dispersed CNTs. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy studies showed that the optimally pulverized SiC-CNT paste-emitter had a stronger Si 2p3/2 signal in the Ni2Si phase than the as-purchased one. The Si 2p3/2 signal would represent interfacial reaction of the SiC nano-particle onto Ni from the CNT paste and the Kovar substrate, forming the supporting layer for CNT emitters. The optimal paste-emitter even in a vacuum-sealed tube exhibited a highly reliable field emission current with a high current density of 100 mA cm−2 for over 50 h along with good reproducibility. The enhanced interfacial reaction of SiC filler onto the metal substrates could lead to highly reliable field electron emitters for vacuum electronic devices.

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