Fabrication and Characterization of Field Emission Electron Source Based on Deploying Multiwall Carbon Nanotubes in Micro Dine Point Capillary Tubes

Thin multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), produced by chemical vapor deposition, were employed in this study. These MWCNTs were inserted into capillary tubes, which were heated and pulled to form fine points, compressing the exposed ends of the nanotubes to create field emitters. This technique does not require the addition of pitch, epoxy resins, or any other types of coating or binding materials typically used to increase electrical and thermal resistance. In addition, the study reports the measured current-voltage characteristics of these emitters, the corresponding Fowler-Nordheim plots, the field emission microscope patterns, and the scanning electron micrographs for the prepared samples.