Effects of light illumination on field emission from CuO nanobelt arrays

Effects of pulsed and continuous light illumination on field emission from CuO nanobelt arrays have been studied by using a transparent anode technique. It is found that, at low-field emission current level, the field emission current generally increases under a pulsed irradiation; at an emission current level of 1.1 mu A, a 19% increase in emission current was recorded. The photoinduced current increase is reduced with increasing emission current and is undetectable when the emission-current is higher than 15 mu A. On the other hand, a long time illumination of the sample decreases the field emission current. Possible physical mechanisms behind the observed phenomena are discussed. (C) 2005 American Institute of Physics.