A rapid and efficient method to prepare aligned SnO2 nanorod arrays for field-emission application

Aligned tin dioxide (SnO2) nanorods have been synthesized by high-frequency inductive heating. Nanorods were grown on silicon substrates vertically in less than 3 min, using SnO2 and graphite as the source powder. Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy showed nanorod with diameters from 25 to 50 nm. The turn-on field needed to produce a current density of 10 μA/cm2 is found to be 1.6 V/μm. This type of SnO2 nanorods can be applied as field emitters in displays as well as vacuum electric devices.