Analytical optimization for field emission of carbon nanotube array

• 来源期刊: 科学通报（英文版）
• 年，卷（期）: 2009,（10）
• 页码范围: 1801-1804
• 页数: 4页
• 语种: 英文
• DOI: 10.1007/s11434-009-0247-7

摘要

To optimize field emission (FE) property of carbon nanotube (CNT) array on a planar cathode surface,the Fowler-Nordheim formula has been used to discuss the maximum of the emission current density with the floating sphere model in this paper. The emission current density is dominating as the ane-lytical Fowler-Nordheim function of the intertube distance, and the maximum of the emission current density is deduced and discussed. The results indicate that the intertube distance in CNT array criti-cally affects the field enhancement factor and the emission current density, whose maximum occurs at the intertube distance approximating a tenth of the tube height. Considering the emission current den-sity and the field enhancement factor, the FE can be optimized analytically when the intertube distance is about a tenth of the tube height.