Improving the field emission of graphene by depositing zinc oxide nanorods on its surface

Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorods were vertically grown on the surface of graphene sheets by chemical vapor deposition, and their use in a field emission device was demonstrated. In comparison with pristine graphene, the graphene/ZnO nanorod hybrid structure exhibited efficient field emission with low turn-on field, low threshold field, high emission spot density, high field enhancement factor and excellent emitting stability. It is proposed that the introduction of mid-density ZnO nanorods on the surface of graphene sheets can increase the number of emitters, enhance tunneling probability, and lead to optimized field emission for the hybrid emitters. The results showed that the field emission properties of graphene can be tailored by growing various ZnO nanostructures on its surface.