• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 2007.07a
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• pp.1271-1272
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• 2007

Experimental results regarding to the structural properties of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and the field-emission characteristics of CNT-coated tungsten (W) tips are presented. CNTs are successfully grown on conical-type W-tips by inductively coupled plasma-chemical vapor deposition (ICP-CVD) with or without inserting a TiN-buffer layer prior to the formation of Ni catalysts. For all the CNTs grown, their nanostructures, morphologies, and crystalline structures are analyzed by FESEM, HRTEM, and Raman spectroscopy. Furthermore, the emission properties of CNT-based field-emitters are characterized to estimate the maximum current density and the threshold voltage. The results obtained in this study indicate that the emission current level of the CNT-emitter without using a TiN buffer is desirable for the application of micro-focused x-ray systems.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2010.06a
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• pp.149-149
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• 2010

The effect of titanium (Ti) coating over the surface of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on field emission characteristics was investigated. Since the work function of CNTs emitter is about 5.0 eV, field emission would be observed at lower voltage if this work function gets lower. Work function of Ti is approximately 4.09eV. Field emission characteristics of as-grown and Ti-coated CNTs were measured in a diode-type configuration. The resultant emission characteristics revealed that thin($50{\AA}$-thick) Ti-coated CNTs could be a better electron emitter with lower emission voltage and higher emission efficiency.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2004.04b
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• pp.60-63
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• 2004

Recently, carbon nanotubes(CNTs) have been demonstrated to possess remarkable mechanical and electronic properties, in particular, for field emission applications. Its high aspect ratio and extremely small diameter, hollowness, together with high mechanical strength and high chemical stability, are advantages for use in field emitter. In this paper, we demonstrate electrical discharge properties from carbon nanotube cathode electrodes to use as an emitter electrode of vacuum gauges. Vertically aligned $2{\times}2mm^2$ CNT arrays on the silicon substrate were synthesized by the thermal CVD method on Fe catalytic metal, and a glass patterning by the sand blast method and the silicon/glass anodic bonding processes were applied to make samples with 2 electrodes. The field emission was examined under the vacuum range of $10^{-3}$ Torr.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.293-296
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• 2003

We report on the fabrication and field emission of carbon nanotube field emitters for mass spectrometer. Due to its high aspect ratio and mechanical strength, we use vertically aligned multi-wall carbon nanotubes prepared by thermal chemical vapour deposition as cathodes, Electrons emitted from a CNT are to ionize some sample molecules. We have successfully attained patterned carbon nanotubes grown on two-dimensional 0.7 mm by 0.7 mm Ni square blocks on Si. The emission characteristics show that the field emission initiates at 200 V.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.14 no.8
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• pp.542-546
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• 2004

We report a new fabrication process for high performance triode type CNT field emitters and their superior electrical properties. The CNT-based triode-type field emitter structure was fabricated by the conventional semiconductor processes. The keys of the fabrication process are spin-on-glass coating and trim-and-leveling of the carbon nanotubes grown in trench structures by employing a chemical mechanical polishing process. They lead to strong adhesion and a uniform distance from the carbon nanotube tips to the electrode. The measured emission property of the arrays showed a remarkably uniform and high current density. The gate leakage current could be remarkably reduced by coating of thin $SiO_{2}$ insulating layer over the gate metal. The field enhancement factor(${\beta}$) and emission area(${\alpha}$) were calculated from the F-N plot. This process can be applicable to fabrication of high power CNT vacuum transistors with good electrical performance.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.173-178
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• 2007

Carbon nanotube cathodes(CNT cathodes) with a trench structure similar to gated structure of triode-type cathode were fabricated by a screen printing method using multi-walled carbon nanotubes. The effects of surface treatments on CNT cathodes were investigated for high efficiency field emission displays(FEDs). A liquid method easily removed the organic residue and protruded the CNTs. Field emission properties were measured by using a diode-type mode. The liquid method produced a turn-on field of $1.4V/{\mu}m$. The emission current density was measured about $3.1mA/cm^{2}$ at the electric field of $3V/{\mu}m$. The liquid method showed a high potential applicable to the surface treatment for triode-type FEDs.

• Proceedings of the Optical Society of Korea Conference
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• 2006.02a
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• pp.311-312
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• 2006

• Journal of the Semiconductor & Display Technology
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.65-69
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• 2009

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were coated with undoped zinc oxide (ZnO) or 5 wt% gallium-incorporated ZnO (GZO) using various deposition conditions. The CNTs were directly grown on conical-type tungsten substrates at $700^{\circ}C$ using inductively coupled plasma-chemical vapor deposition. The pulsed laser deposition technique was used to deposit the ZnO and GZO thin films with very low stress. Field-emission scanning electron microscopy and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy were used to monitor the variations in the morphology and microstructure of CNTs prior to and after ZnO or GZO coating. The formation of ZnO and GZO films on CNTs was confirmed using energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy. In comparison to the as-grown (uncoated) CNT emitter, the CNT emitter that was coated with a thin (10 nm) GZO film showed remarkably improved field emission characteristics, such as the emission current of $325\;{\mu}A$ at 1 kV and the threshold field of $1.96\;V/{\mu}m$ at $0.1\;{\mu}A$, and it also exhibited the highly stable operation of emission current up to 40 h.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2008.11a
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• pp.51-51
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• 2008

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have long been reported as an ideal material due to their excellent electrical conductivity and chemical and mechanical stability as well as their high aspect ratios for field emission devices. CNT emitters made by screen printing the organic binder-based CNT paste may act as a source to release gases inside a vacuum panel. These residual gases may cause a catastrophic damage by electrical arcing or ion bombardment to the vacuum microelectronic devices and may change their physical or electrical properties by adsorbing on the CNT emitter surface. In this study, we analyzed the composition of residual gases inside the vacuum-sealed panel by residual gas analyzer (RGA), investigating the effects of individual gases of different kinds at several pressures on the field emission characteristics of CNT emitters. The residual gases included $H_2$, CO, $CO_2$, $N_2$, $CH_4$, $H_2O$, $C_2H_6$, and Ar. Effect of residual gases on the field emission was studied by observing the variation of the pulse voltages with the duty ratio of3.3% to keep the constant emission current of $28{\mu}A$. Each gas species was introduced to a vacuum chamber up to three different pressures ($5\times10^{-7}$, $5\times10^{-6}$, and $5\times10^{-5}$ torr) each for 1 h while electron emission was continued. The three different pressure regions were separated by keeping a high vacuum of $\sim10^{-8}$ torr for a 1 h. The emission was terminated 6 h after the third gas exposure was completed. Field emission characteristics under residual gases will be discussed in terms of their adsorption and desorption on the surface of CNTs and the resultant change of work function.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.799-804
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• 2016

A miniature X-ray tube based on a carbon-nanotube electron emitter has been employed for the application to a dental radiography. The miniature X-ray tube has an outer diameter of 7 mm and a length of 47 mm. The miniature X-ray tube is operated in a negative high-voltage mode in which the X-ray target is electrically grounded. In addition, X-rays are generated only to the teeth directions using a collimator while X-rays generated to other directions are shielded. Hence, the X-ray tube can be safely inserted into a human mouth. Using the intra-oral X-ray tube, a dental radiography is demonstrated where the positions of an X-ray source and a sensor are reversed compared with a conventional dental radiography system. X-ray images of five neighboring teeth are obtained and, furthermore, both left and right molar images are achieved by a single X-ray shot of the miniature X-ray tube.