High emission current density, vertically aligned carbon nanotube mesh, field emitter array

A vertically aligned carbon nanotube mesh emitter array has been fabricated and tested, giving a current density of up to 1.5 A/cm(2), and a threshold field of 1.5 V/mu m for a current density 1 mA/cm(2). Low temperature carbon nanotube growth is used to fabricate the carbon nanotube mesh emitter arrays significantly reducing the cost of the fabrication of large area electron emitters. This system exhibits ultralong lifetime. (C) 2010 American Institute of Physics. [doi: 10.1063/1.3490651]