Field emission from single-wall carbon nanotube films

Abstract

We report on the field emission properties of single-wall carbon nanotube films, with emphasis on current–versus–voltage (I–V) characteristics and current stability. The films are excellent field emitters, yielding current densities higher than 10 mA cm−2 with operating voltages that are far lower than for other film emitters, but show a significant degradation of their performances with time. The observed deviations from the Fowler-Nordheim behavior in the I–V characteristics point to the presence of a nonmetallic density of states at the tip of the nanotubes.