Growth and field-emission properties of multiwalled carbon nanotubes synthesized by a pin-to-plate-type atmospheric pressure plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition

In this study, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were grown on sodalime glass substrates coated with NiCr (8 : 2) by using atmospheric pressure plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (AP-PECVD), and their structural and electrical characteristics were investigated for possible applications as to the field emitters of field emission display (FED) devices. The substrate temperature was varied from 400 to 500°C. The CNTs grown at 500°C were multiwalled CNTs composed of 15 - 20 layers of carbon sheets with inner diameters of 10 ∼ 15 nm and outer diameters of 30 ∼ 40 nm. The ratio of the defective carbon peak to the graphite carbon peak of the CNTs grown at 500°C, as measured by using Fourier transform (FT)-Raman, was 0.772. When the field-emission properties were measured, the turn-on field was 2.92 V/μm, and the emission field at 1 mA/cm ² was 5.325 V/μm.