Enhanced Field Electron Emission from Dielectric Coated Highly Emissive Carbon Fibers

This paper describes experiments aimed at characterizing the behavior of field electron emitters fabricated by coating carbon fibers with epoxylite resin. Polyacrylonitrile carbon fibers of type VPR-19, thermally treated at $2,800^{\circ}C$, were used. Each was initially prepared in a "uncoated" state, by standard electro polishing and cleaning techniques, and was then examined in a scanning electron microscope. The fiber was then baked overnight in a field electron microscope (FEM) vacuum chamber. Current-voltage characteristics and FEM images were recorded on the following day or later. The fiber was then removed from the FEM, coated with resin, "cured" by baking, and replaced in the FEM. After another overnight bake, the FEM characterization measurements were repeated. The coated fibers had significantly better performance than uncoated fibers. This confirms the results of earlier experiments, and is thought to be due in part to the formation of a conducting channel in the resin over layer. For the coated fiber, lower voltages were needed to obtain the same emission current. The coated fibers have current-voltage characteristics that show smoother trends, with greater stability and repeatability. No switch-on phenomena were observed. In addition, the emission images on the phosphor-coated FEM screen were more concentrated, and hence brighter.