Hot Electron Field Emissionvia Individually Transistor-Ballasted Carbon Nanotube Arrays

Due to their high aspect ratio, small tip radius, excellent chemical stability, high thermal conductivity, and mechanical strength, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have attracted significant attention as field emission (FE) electron sources in various applications, including flat panel displays and electronic devices. Despite these advantageous properties, challenges remain in achieving high emission currents, stability, uniformity, low driving fields, and extended lifetimes of CNTs. This study aims to address these challenges by exploring the emission current behaviors described by the Fowler-Nordheim equation, focusing on the crucial role of field enhancement factors influenced by the emitting tip geometry and nearby conducting structures. We propose a novel approach by combining the emission currents from multiple vertically aligned individual CNTs in engineered arrays, ensuring optimal attachment to conductive substrates. This methodology minimizes interfacial resistance and enhances emitter biasing. The results demonstrate that our individually transistor-ballasted carbon nanotube arrays achieve significantly improved emission currents while maintaining stability and uniformity under operational conditions, thus paving the way for enhanced applications in electron sources and advanced electronic systems.