Fabrication of carbon nanotube field emission cathodes in patterns by a laser transfer method

This study reports a novel approach, based on the method of laser induced pattern transfer, that can deposit patterned carbon nanotube (CNT) field emission cathodes on a variety of substrates at room temperature and in an ambient environment. Tests of emission characteristics of the fabricated cathodes present favourable emission current flux, low threshold electrical field, 1?mA?cm?2 current density at 3.3?V??m?1 for the 8??m thick film and good emission focusing. Well-defined CNT patterns with a feature size down to 10??m were produced using a mask. Compared with CNT film produced by printing based methods, higher density and better adhesion were achieved, without any post-treatment. Control of the film thickness can plainly be accomplished by adjusting the coated CNT film thickness on the support and the number of laser pulses. The fast deposition rate and high degree of feasibility of using the substrate, as well as the fabrication environment, render the proposed approach a potential method for low cost fabrication of precision patterns for CNT.

[1]  Kuei-Hsien Chen,et al.  Laser irradiation of carbon nanotubes , 2001 .

[2]  E. Campbell,et al.  Highly efficient electron field emission from decorated multiwalled carbon nanotube films , 2004 .

[3]  Otto Zhou,et al.  Liquid-phase fabrication of patterned carbon nanotube field emission cathodes , 2004 .

[4]  F. J. Adrian,et al.  Metal deposition from a supported metal film using an excimer laser , 1986 .

[5]  Wonbong Choi,et al.  Field emission from carbon nanotubes for displays , 2000 .

[6]  O. Zhou,et al.  Very large current density from carbon nanotube field emitters , 1999, International Electron Devices Meeting 1999. Technical Digest (Cat. No.99CH36318).

[7]  W. D. de Heer,et al.  A Carbon Nanotube Field-Emission Electron Source , 1995, Science.

[8]  Y. C. Kim,et al.  Vertical alignment of printed carbon nanotubes by multiple field emission cycles , 2004 .

[9]  Zsolt Toth,et al.  Pulsed laser processing of Ge/Se thin film structures , 1991 .

[10]  P. Nordlander,et al.  Unraveling Nanotubes: Field Emission from an Atomic Wire , 1995, Science.

[11]  Wonbong Choi,et al.  Electrophoresis deposition of carbon nanotubes for triode-type field emission display , 2001 .

[12]  Costas Fotakis,et al.  Microfabrication of biomaterials by the sub-ps laser-induced forward transfer process , 2003 .

[13]  J. Sohn,et al.  Patterned selective growth of carbon nanotubes and large field emission from vertically well-aligned carbon nanotube field emitter arrays , 2001 .

[14]  S. Iijima.  Helical microtubules of graphitic carbon , 1991, Nature.

[15]  Laser irradiation effect on electron field emission properties of carbon nanotubes , 2004 .

[16]  M. Takai,et al.  Field Emission Characteristics of Screen-Printed Carbon Nanotube After Laser Irradiation , 2001, Digest of Papers. Microprocesses and Nanotechnology 2001. 2001 International Microprocesses and Nanotechnology Conference (IEEE Cat. No.01EX468).

[17]  Young Hee Lee,et al.  Fully sealed, high-brightness carbon-nanotube field-emission display , 1999 .

[18]  T. J. Vink,et al.  Enhanced field emission from printed carbon nanotubes by mechanical surface modification , 2003 .

[19]  S. Fan,et al.  Enhancement of field emission properties of cyanoacrylate–carbon nanotube arrays by laser treatment , 2004 .