Fabrication of In-doped SnO2 nanowire arrays and its field emission investigations

The field emission of In-doped SnO2 wire array has been performed in parallel plate diode configuration. A maximum current density of 60 mu A/cm2 is drawn from the emitter at an applied field of 4 V/mu m. The nonlinearity in the Fowler-Nordheim plot, characteristics of semiconductor emitter has been observed and explained on the basis of electron emission from both the conduction and the valence bands. The current stability recorded at a preset value of 1 mu A is observed to be good. The high emission current density, good current stability and mechanically robust nature of the wires offer unprecedented advantages as promising cold cathodes for many potential applications based on field emission.