Tunable field emission characteristics of ZnO nanowires coated with varied thickness of lanthanum boride thin films

► Coating thickness dependence of field emission characteristics of ZnO nanowires was observed from LaBx coated ZnO nanowires. ► More stable field emission was observed from ZnO nanowires with LaBx coating. ► A model was proposed that the tunneling at ZnO/LaBx interface dominates the emission process.