Emission Enhancement by Excimer Laser Irradiation over a Weblike Carbon Nanotube Layer

Abstract

A surface treatment of a carbon-nanotube (CNT) layer by excimer-laser irradiation was investigated to obtain a uniform emission at a low driving voltage. A CNT layer was grown by thermal-chemical vapor deposition (CVD), and CNTs in the layer formed a weblike networked structure. The tips of the CNTs were found throughout the small-mesh networklike structure in the as-grown CNT layer. After laser irradiation, the number of CNT tips increased and the CNT tips created by laser irradiation had sharp edges and clean surfaces. As a result, the emission was greatly enhanced by laser irradiation at an energy density of 50–60 mJ/cm2.