Al-Heeti SA, Al-Tabbakh AA. The effect of size distribution and degradation of carbon nanotubes on the Fowler-Nordheim plot behavior.
Ultramicroscopy 2021;
230:113373. [PMID:
34399102 DOI:
10.1016/j.ultramic.2021.113373]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2021] [Revised: 08/02/2021] [Accepted: 08/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
The behavior of the Folwer-Nordheim (FN) plot is investigated for large-area emitters arrays composed of perfectly aligned single-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs). The field emission currents are calculated based on the standard FN model using the Murphy-Good equation. The aspect ratio of the CNTs is varied such that the height of the CNT has predefined uniform or Gaussian distributions. Continuous degradation of the high-aspect-ratio CNTs is assumed to take place at predefined values of the scaled barrier field. The effects, on the FN plot behavior, of the size distribution and the scenario of the degradation of the emitter are determined and discussed. These factors are found to produce the two behaviors of the experimental FN plots, i.e. the upward and the downward bending behaviors. This work shows the possibility to expand the application of the standard FN model for the investigation of the field emission characteristics from nanoscaled emitters such as CNTs.
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