Field emission characteristic of screen-printed carbon nanotube cathode

The fabrication of carbon nanotube emitters with excellent emission properties is described. The multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) produced by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method were purified with oxidation method and mixed with organic binding pastes and then screen-printed on glass substrates with ITO film. We applied anode voltage gradually to refine the emission behavior of the emitter by cleaning the top surface of screen-printed carbon nanotubes (CNTs). The density of the carbon nanotubes is about 2.5×10⁸/cm². Diode field emission experiments were performed in dynamic vacuum system to study the emission current, the emission uniformity, etc. Bright and stable character emission images were obtained in the diode structure and the emission current could approach 1 mA/cm².     

氧化锌纳米棒场发射性能研究

采用简单物理气相沉积法制备出取向和非取向的氧化锌纳米棒，他们的场致电子发射性能测量结果表明，ZnO纳米棒具有较好的场发射性能，但是高度取向的ZnO纳米棒阵列并不利于获得高的场致电子发射电流密度.这可能是由于高密度ZnO纳米棒之间具有较高的屏蔽效应，降低了ZnO纳米棒阵列的场放大因子，从而影响了其场发射性能.相反，非取向ZnO纳米棒由于相互之间的屏蔽效应比较弱，而且表面存在容易成为发射中心的微小突起，表现出较好的场发射效果.这些结果不仅有助于加深我们对准一维纳米材料场致电子发射性能的理解，也为未来场发射电子器件的实际应用提供了可靠的依据. 关键词： 氧化锌 场发射 非取向     

Field emission characteristics study for ZnO/Ag and ZnO/CNTs composites produced by DC electrophoresis

A simple controllable method is reported for the coating of ZnO nanowires with Ag nanoparticles and ZnO/carbon nanotubes (CNTs) composite. It has been achieved through DC electrophoresis AgNO₃ electrolyte and CNTs in the presence of isopropanol dispersion of ZnO nanowires. In the present work, the influence of Ag nanoparticles and CNTs on the field emission properties of the composite materials is studied. The results of this research demonstrate a remarkable enhancement of field emission current of ZnO nanowires in case of CNTs mixture and Ag nanoparticles coating.     

Synthesis and efficient field emission of ZnO nanoinjectors

ZnO nanoinjectors were synthesized on Au-coated Si substrate by direct thermal evaporation of zinc powder at a low temperature of 600 °C and atmospheric pressure. Field-emission scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction were applied to study the structural characteristics of the sample. The result indicated that the nanoinjector sample consisted of single-crystalline wurtzite structures which were preferentially oriented in the 0 0 1 direction. The field emission of the sample started at a turn-on field of 1.5 V/μm at a current density of 1 μA/cm², while the emission current density reached about 1 mA/cm² at an applied field of 5.0 V/μm.     

Field emission characteristics of screen-printed carbon nanotubes cold cathode by hydrogen plasma treatment

Selective plasma etching and hydrogen plasma treatment were introduced in turn to improve field emission characteristics of screen-printed carbon nanotubes (CNTs) cold cathode, which was prepared by using slurry of mixture of multi-wall CNTs, organic vehicles and inorganic binder, i.e. silicon dioxide sol. The results show that selective plasma etching process could effectively remove parts of surface inorganic vehicle (SiO₂) layer and expose more smooth and clean CNTs on cathode surface, which could significantly decrease the operating field of CNTs cathode. There are some nanoparticles emerging on the out of CNTs wall after hydrogen plasma treatment, which are equivalent to increase field emission point of cathode. At the same time, these nanoparticles can increase the local electric field of CNTs, which can decrease operating voltage of CNTs cathode and improve uniformity field emission.     

Formation of aligned ZnO nanorods on self-grown ZnO template and its enhanced field emission characteristics

We report a novel method for producing aligned ZnO nanorods (ANR) on self-grown ZnO template in a single step process involving growth of ZnO by vapor transport, followed by quenching of growing ZnO flux in liquid nitrogen. In the present study Zn powder turns into ZnO sheet under oxygen flow at ∼900 °C and bottom surface of the sheet acts as template for the growth of ANR. It is revealed from XRD and EDAX analysis that the bottom of the sheet is Zn rich region and acts as self catalyst for the growth of ANR. The grown nanorods have length up to several tens of micrometers with diameters ranging from ∼100 to 150 nm. Microstructural analysis of ANR indicates the fractal like configuration. The field emission properties have been investigated for ANR with fractal geometry using the ANR on self-grown ZnO template as a cathode directly. The turn-on electric field required to draw current density of ∼1.0 μA/cm² has been found to be ∼0.98 V/μm. The field enhancement factor based on Fowler-Nordheim (F-N) plot was found to be ∼7815 for ANR. The fractal geometry of ANR has been shown to be advantageous for achieving improved field emission features. The present investigations of synthesis involving formation of ANR over self-grown ZnO template, together with fractal configuration of the as-synthesized ANR, are first of their type.     

Field emission and room temperature ferromagnetism properties of triangle-like ZnO nanosheets

Triangle-like ZnO nanosheets have been synthesized via conventional thermal evaporation method at a low temperature of 550 °C using CuO as catalyst. The obtained samples were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and photoluminescence (PL) spectra. The great influences of Cu catalyst on the morphology of the obtained ZnO nanostructures were investigated. The field emission measurements confirmed that the ZnO nanosheets possessed good performance with a turn-on field of 3.1 V μm⁻¹ and a field enhancement factor of 3250, which have promising application as a competitive cathode material in FE microelectronic devices. Room temperatures ferromagnetism has been observed in the triangle-like ZnO nanosheets, although the products consist of only nonmagnetic elements.     

The field emission of indium-doped ZnO films fabricated by room temperature DC magnetron sputtering

Indium doped ZnO film was fabricated at room temperature by co-sputtering a zinc target and an indium plate under the flow of oxygen and argon. The film was then characterized and the field emission of the film was studied. The indium composition x in the film (Zn_1−xIn_xO) is 5%. The film is hexagonal without any secondary phases or precipitates. The film has two major emission peaks, one related to the band edge emission and another possibly related to the electron acceptor transition. The possible acceptor is nitrogen occupying oxygen site in ZnO. The film is n-type and very resistive. The turn on field of the film at an emission current density of 10 μA/cm² is 17.5 V/μm. The relatively weak field emission property is due to the unintentional incorporation of acceptors such as substitutional nitrogen and oxygen vacancies, which increase the work function of ZnO by reducing the electron density and lowering the Fermi level position of the ZnO:In film.     

后栅结构四针状纳米ZnO场致发射显示器的研制

为了解决二极结构FED驱动电压高的问题,设计制作了后栅式三极结构纳米ZnO场致发射显示器,进行了场致发射实验,验证这种结构的可行性。采用丝网印刷厚膜技术实现后栅极结构FED的制作,工艺简单,实现了较低电压的调制。对影响场致发射性能的栅极电压、阳极电压进行了分析讨论。将阴栅极板和荧光屏封装成5英寸三极结构的场致发射显示器,实现了稳定的场致电子发光显示。     

水浴法制备ZnO纳米棒及其场发射性能

用硝酸锌(Zn(NO3)2·6H2O)与六亚甲基四胺(C6H12N4)以等浓度配制成反应溶液,通过水浴法制备出了形貌可控的棒状ZnO纳米结构,讨论了不同反应浓度及衬底对ZnO表面形貌的影响.样品的XRD和扫描电子显微镜分析结果表明,所得产物均为六方纤锌矿结构,在有晶种层的衬底上制备出的ZnO纳米棒沿(001)方向并垂直于衬底表面生长.随着反应浓度的增加,ZnO纳米棒的直径增大,长径比减小.样品的场发射性能测试表明,反应溶液浓度为0.005 mol/L,以铜膜为晶种层的硅衬底上制备出的场发射阴极具有较好的场发射性能.     

2D planar field emission devices based on individual ZnO nanowires

2D planar field emission devices based on individual ZnO nanowires were achieved on Si/SiO₂ substrate via a standard e-beam lithography method. The anode, cathode and ZnO nanowires were on the same substrate; so the electron field emission is changed to 2D. Using e-beam lithography, the emitter (cathode) to anode distance could be precisely controlled. Real time, in situ observation of the planar field emission was realized in a scanning electron microscope. For individual ZnO nanowires, an onset voltage of 200 V was obtained at 1 nA. This innovative approach provides a viable and practical methodology to directly implement into the integrated field emission electrical devices for achieving “on-chip” fabrication.     

Ultraviolet emission of ZnO film prepared by electrophoretic deposition

We deposited high quality ZnO film by electrophoretic deposition (EPD) using high quality ZnO powder prepared by solid-state pyrolytic reaction. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and the infrared (IR) absorption spectrum clearly indicate that the ZnO phase powder has been prepared. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) imaging and x-ray diffraction (XRD) show that the average grain size of the powder is about 20nm. XRD and selected-area electron diffraction (SAED) reveal that the ZnO film has a polycrystalline hexagonal wurtzite structure. Only a strong ultraviolet emission peak at 390nm can be observed at room temperature.     

Field emission properties of nano-structured phosphorus-doped diamond

Nano-structured phosphorus-doped diamonds were fabricated for field emitters and their field emission properties were characterized. Two kinds of nano-structures were prepared; tip array structures and whiskers on tip structures. The tips, which have 100 nm radius and 10 μm height, are used in tip array structures; whiskers have tip radii of 5 nm and height of 500 nm. Following nano-structure formation, a reduction of threshold fields is observed compared to non-patterned flat surfaces. This is ascribed to field concentration at the tips. However, at higher electric fields, a saturation of the emission current is observed due to non-negligible bulk resistances in tips and whiskers.     

Field electron emission images of multi-walled carbon nanotubes

Field electron emission microscope images from multi-walled carbon nanotubes can typically be characterized by the presence of five pentagons surrounding a sixth central pentagon. The observations of bright line centered interference patterns between adjacent pentagons in the field electron emission microscope images of multi-walled carbon nanotubes have been reported in the literature. We have observed a shift from bright to dark line centered interference patterns and associated this with the presence of surface adsorption. In order to identify the origin of the contaminant, multi-walled carbon nanotubes were dosed with H₂, H₂O, CO and O₂ and then imaged in the field electron emission microscope. Only the samples exposed to O₂ showed a shift from a bright line centered pattern between adjacent pentagons of a clean surface to a dark line centered pattern when one pentagon was contaminated or a bright line centered pattern when both adjacent pentagons become contaminated. The results of the experimental studies and the modeling of the changes in the field emission pattern as phase shifts in the wave function of the tunneling electrons due to modifications in the surface work function are presented.     

不同条件制备的ZnO纳米梳结构及其性能研究

采用热蒸发法通过改变衬底放置条件在Si(111)衬底上制备出了ZnO纳米梳结构.利用X射线衍射(XRD)、扫描电子显微镜(SEM)、分光光度计、场发射装置对样品的结构、形貌、光致发光光谱及场发射特性进行了分析.XRD结果表明衬底水平放置(A)和衬底竖直放置(B)制备出的样品均属于多晶六角纤锌矿结构.SEM结果表明两种衬底放置条件下的样品均为纳米梳状结构,改变衬底放置条件ZnO纳米梳的尺寸和形貌有明显改变,其中竖直放置衬底的样品B纳米尺寸较小且比较均匀.室温下的光致发光光谱表明样品B的紫外峰较样品A出现了蓝移,此外样品B的紫外峰强和可见光峰强比值较大,说明此样品的结晶质量较好.场发射特性测试结果表明两个样品的场发射都是通过电子隧道效应进行的,且样品B的场发射性能优于样品A.     

The effect of substrate surface roughness on ZnO nanostructures growth

The ZnO nanowires have been synthesized using vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) process on Au catalyst thin film deposited on different substrates including Si(1 0 0), epi-Si(1 0 0), quartz and alumina. The influence of surface roughness of different substrates and two different environments (Ar + H₂ and N₂) on formation of ZnO nanostructures was investigated. According to AFM observations, the degree of surface roughness of the different substrates is an important factor to form Au islands for growing ZnO nanostructures (nanowires and nanobelts) with different diameters and lengths. Si substrate (without epi-taxy layer) was found that is the best substrate among Si (with epi-taxy layer), alumina and quartz, for the growth of ZnO nanowires with the uniformly small diameter. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) reveals that different nanostructures including nanobelts, nanowires and microplates have been synthesized depending on types of substrates and gas flow. Observation by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) reveals that the nanostructures are grown by VLS mechanism. The field emission properties of ZnO nanowires grown on the Si(1 0 0) substrate, in various vacuum gaps, were characterized in a UHV chamber at room temperature. Field emission (FE) characterization shows that the turn-on field and the field enhancement factor (β) decrease and increases, respectively, when the vacuum gap (d) increase from 100 to 300 μm. The turn-on emission field and the enhancement factor of ZnO nanowires are found 10 V/μm and 1183 at the vacuum gap of 300 μm.     

Field emission from self-assembly structure of carbon-nanotube films

Chemical vapor deposited (CVD) carbon nanotube (CNT) arrays were immersed in ethanol to make shrunk structures with separate nanotube “walls” for better field emission properties, such structures decreased the screening effects and reduced the turn-on electric field at 10 μA/cm² from 1.68 to 1.23 V/μm. The field enhancement factor was calculated to increase by 23% according to Fowler–Nordheim (F–N) equation. The number of emission sites also increased and their distribution was more uniform.     

Enhanced blue emission of ZnO films deposited on AlN substrates

Taking into account the individual excellent optical properties of ZnO and AlN, the combination of ZnO with AlN may give the enhanced performances. Based on similar lattice constants between ZnO and AlN, considering that AlN is a promising high power integrated circuit substrate material, ZnO films are deposited on AlN substrates using magnetron sputtering. We find that AlN substrate shows an excellent transparency with an average transmittance of about 80%. As ZnO films are deposited on AlN substrate, average transmittance still maintain above 80% except for the UV absorption edge shifted to the longer wavelength. In addition, AlN substrate shows two emission peaks at 420 and 468 nm ascribed to Al vacancies with different charge states. As ZnO films are deposited on AlN substrates in pure Ar gas, the intensity of both peaks attain the maximum. After introducing O₂ gas, they conversely decreases and attains the minimum. PL emissions increase again as the sample is annealed in vacuum. Excellent blue emissions are obtained due to the synergistic effect between ZnO and AlN. This work may help the development of the practical optoelectronic devices based on ZnO and AlN materials.     

Optical processes in the formation of stimulated emission from ZnO nanowires

This paper studies power dependent photoluminescence spectra, the stimulated emission occurring at ultraviolet (UV) band instead of the green emission band of ZnO nanowires, which are prepared with a chemical reduction method. The dynamics of the UV emission and green emission is given to demonstrate the reason of stimulated emission occurring at UV band but not the green emission band under high excitation, which indicates that the slow decay rate of trap state makes it easy to be fully filled and saturated, while the fast decay rate of near-band-edge exciton state makes the UV emission dominate the radiative recombination under high excitation. The UV emission, as well as the corresponding stimulated emission, occurs in competition with the green deep-trap emission. In addition, when pump fluence further increases, the multiple lasing modes appear. The dependence of these lasing modes on the pump fluence is first discussed. This diagram should be helpful to understand and design the optical nanodevices of ZnO nanowires.     

水热法合成ZnO纳米棒图案及其场增强效应

利用水热合成方法在图案化的Au岛上合成了ZnO纳米棒图案,采用的溶液体系为六次甲基四胺和硝酸锌溶液,ZnO纳米棒的基底是ITO导电玻璃上的有序Au岛. 由于ZnO的异相成核速度在Au和ITO基底上具有不同的成核速度,因此ZnO优先生长在成核速度快的Au岛上,同时由于受到了溶液中前驱物种扩散的限制,纳米棒继续生长也被受到了约束. 通过调控六次甲基四胺和硝酸锌的浓度,可以调整不同的图案. 此外,利用X射线衍射、光致发光谱和场发射特性性能对水热合成的ZnO纳米棒图案进行了研究. ZnO纳米棒表现出良好的场增强性