Field emission (FE) is based on the physical phenomenon of quantum tunneling, in which electrons are injected from the surface of materials into vacuum under the influence of an applied electric field. A variety of field emission cold cathode materials have been developed to date. In this review, we shall focus on several kinds of novel cold cathode materials that have been developed in the past decade. These include materials for microfabricated field-emitter arrays, diamond and related films, carbon nanotubes, other quasi one-dimensional nanomaterials and printable composite materials. In addition, cold cathode materials have a wide range of applications such as in flat panel displays, high-power vacuum electronic devices, microwave-generation devices, vacuum microelectronic devices and vacuum nanoelectronic devices. Applications are in consumer goods, military industries and also space technology. A comprehensive overview of the various applications is presented. Recently, recognizing the strong possibility that vacuum nanoelectronic devices using quasi one-dimensional nanomaterials, such as carbon nanotubes may emit electrons with driving voltages comparable to that of a solid-state device, there is a growing interest in novel applications of such devices. With such exciting opportunities, there is now a flurry of activities to explore applications far beyond those considered for the conventional hot cathodes that operate on thermionic emission. We shall discuss the details of a number of fascinating potential applications.

Novel cold cathode materials and applications

Short-pulse laser heating on metals

The generalized lagging response in small-scale and high-rate heating

http://ntur.lib.ntu.edu.tw/bitstream/246246/96860/1/88.pdf

Review of titania nanotubes synthesized via the hydrothermal treatment: Fabrication, modification, and application

One-dimensional inorganic nanostructures have drawn prime attention due to their potential for understanding fundamental physical concepts and constructing nanoscale electronic and optoelectronic devices. This critical review mainly focuses on our recent research progresses in 1D inorganic nanostructures, including their rational synthesis and potential applications, with an emphasis on field-emitter and photodetector applications. Firstly, we will discuss the rational design of synthetic strategies and the synthesis of 1D nanostructures via a vapour phase approach. Secondly, we will present our recent progresses with respect to several kinds of important inorganic nanostructures and their field-emission and photoconductivity characteristics. Finally, we conclude this review with some perspectives/outlook and future research in these fields (212 references).

One-dimensional inorganic nanostructures: synthesis, field-emission and photodetection.

This letter reports the field emission measurements from the nanotubes of aluminum nitride which were synthesized by gas phase condensation using the solid-vapor equilibria. A dc arc plasma reactor was used for producing the vapors of aluminum in a reactive nitrogen atmosphere. Nanoparticles and nanotubes of aluminum nitride were first characterized by transmission electron microscope and tube dimensions were found to be varying from 30 to 200 nm in diameter and 500 to 700 nm in length. These tubes were mixed with nanoparticles of size range between 5 and 200 nm in diameter. Tungsten tips coated with these nanoparticles and tubes were used as a field emitter. The field emission patterns display very interesting features consisting of sharp rings which were often found to change their shapes. The patterns are attributed to the open ended nanotubes of aluminum nitride. A few dot patterns corresponding to the nanoparticles were also seen to occur. The Fowler–Nordheim plots were seen to be nonlinear in nature...

Field emission from open ended aluminum nitride nanotubes

A laser method based upon carbon ion implantation and pulsed laser melting of copper has been used to produce continuous diamond thin film. Carbon ions were implanted with ion energies in the range of 60 to 120 keV, and doses of 1.0 x 1018 to 2.0 x 1018 ions cm–2. The ion-implanted specimens were treated with nanosecond excimer laser pulses with the following parameters: energy density, 3.0 to 5.0 J cm–2; wavelength, 0.308 µm; pulse width, 45 nanoseconds. The specimens were characterized with scanning electron microscopy (SEM), x-ray diffraction, Rutherford backscattering/ion channeling, Auger, and Raman spectroscopy. The macroscopic Raman spectra contained a strong peak at 1332 cm–1 with full width at half maximum of 5 cm–1, which is very close to the quality of the spectra obtained from single-crystal diamond. The selected area electron diffraction patterns and imaging confirmed the films to be defect-free single crystal over large areas of up to several square micrometers with no grain boundaries. Low voltage SEM imaging of surface features indicated the film to be continuous with presence of growth steps.

https://science.sciencemag.org/content/sci/252/5004/416.full.pdf

Laser Method for Synthesis and Processing of Continuous Diamond Films on Nondiamond Substrates

Nanostructures of cubic aluminium nitride were synthesized by DC arc-plasma-induced melting of aluminium in a nitrogen?argon ambient. The material flux ejected from the molten aluminium surface was found to react with nitrogen under highly non-equilibrium conditions and subsequently condense on a water-cooled surface to yield a mixture of nanowires and nanoparticles of crystalline cubic aluminium nitride. Both x-ray diffraction and electron diffraction measurements revealed that the as-synthesized nitrides adopted the cubic phase. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy was used to understand the bonding configuration. Microstructural features of the synthesized material were best studied by transmission electron microscopy. From these analyses cubic aluminium nitride was found to be the dominating phase for both nanowires and nanoparticles synthesized at low currents. The typical particle size distribution was found to range over 15?80?nm, whereas the wires varied from 30 to 100?nm in diameter and 500 to 700?nm in length, depending upon the process parameters such as arc current and the nitrogen pressure. The reaction products inside the plasma zone were also obtained theoretically by minimization of free energy and the favourable zone temperature necessary for the formation of aluminium nitride was found to be ?K. Results are discussed in view of the highly non-equilibrium conditions that prevail during the arc-plasma synthesis.

http://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/0957-4484/15/3/024/pdf

Synthesis of nanowires and nanoparticles of cubic aluminium nitride

We report here enhancement of nucleation and adhesion of diamond films on nondiamond substrates such as copper, stainless steel, and silicon substrates. The enhancement of nucleation is accomplished by pulsed laser irradiation which converts some of the amorphous carbon on the surface into the diamond phase or forms a reaction product that facilitates nucleation of diamond phase. The laser can also be used to evaporate carbon preferentially, leaving behind diamond particles unaffected. By pulsed laser irradiation it is possible to melt the substrate and embed the diamond particles into it, thus improving the adhesion of the diamond film.

V.P. Godbole

Papers

Field emission from open ended aluminum nitride nanotubes

Laser Method for Synthesis and Processing of Continuous Diamond Films on Nondiamond Substrates

Synthesis of nanowires and nanoparticles of cubic aluminium nitride

Enhancement of nucleation and adhesion of diamond films on copper, stainless steel, and silicon substrates

Manganese dioxide/ reduced graphene oxide composite an electrode material for high-performance solid state supercapacitor