Fabrication and characterization of gated field emitter arrays with self-aligned carbon nanotubes grown by chemical vapor deposition

Field emitter arrays with multiwall carbon nanotubes (CNTs) grown inside their gated holes were fabricated on glass substrates. The Fe-Ni-Co alloy catalyst dots on which the CNTs would be grown were deposited into the gated holes by a self-aligned method to maintain a constant distance between CNT emitters and gate electrodes. The CNTs were synthesized by thermal chemical vapor deposition using a gas mixture of CO and H₂ at 500°C. The CNT lengths were controlled by changing ratios of CO to H₂. Field emission currents and images were monitored as a function of gate and anode voltages. It was shown that the CNT emitters grown just up to the gate electrode height operated best in a triode mode.