• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.258-262
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• 2005

We report on the field emission properties from vertically aligned carbon nanotubes (CNTs) produced by a triode PECVD with a SiNx capping layer on metal catalyst. It is found that the CNTs density can be controlled by the capping layer thickness and decreases with increasing SiNx thickness. The CNT density of $\~$ 104/$cm^{2}$ exhibited highest electron emission characteristics, the threshold field of 1.2 V/$\mu$m and the current density of 0.17 mA/$cm^{2}$ at 3.6 V/$\mu$m. We have carried out investigation of electron emission stability under ambient gas of N2. The electron emission stability was improved with decreasing CNT density. Under $1\times$$10^{-5}$ Torr ambient pressure, the CNTs in 5 $\mu$m hole show electron emission current higher than $1\times$$10^{-4}$ A/cm2 and it's electron emission uniformity has $2\%$.