Effect of growth temperature on field emission from an array of carbon nanotubes nested into a silicon nanoporous pillar array

Large scale nest arrays of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (NA-MWCNT) were grown on silicon nanoporous pillar arrays (Si-NPA) by thermal chemical vapour deposition at 700, 800, and 900 °C respectively for 15 min. The corresponding field emission properties were also studied. It was found that growth temperature had a significant effect on the performance of CNTs, the field emission efficiency of NA-MWCNT/Si-NPA synthesized at 900 °C was higher than that of the other two types of samples. By hiring scanning electron microscope observing and high resolution transmission electron microscopy analysis, the reason was attributed to numerous nanoparticles appearance on the surface of the CNT and highly folding graphite sheets formation on both sides of the nanotubes fabricated at 900 °C. Both could enhance emission properties by lowering the effective work function and increasing the field enhancement factor as well as the number of the emission sites.