Local electric field at the emitting surface of a carbon nanotube

被引:89
作者
Kokkorakis, GC [1 ]
Modinos, A
Xanthakis, JP
机构
[1] Natl Tech Univ Athens, Dept Elect Engn, Athens 15773, Greece
[2] Natl Tech Univ Athens, Dept Phys, GR-15773 Athens, Greece
关键词
D O I
10.1063/1.1448403
中图分类号
O59 [应用物理学];
学科分类号
摘要
We present a method for the calculation of the local electric field at the surface of a nanoscopic emitting structure. The method is here applied to carbon nanotubes (NT) where symmetry makes the application of the method easier. The NT is simulated as a cylindrical array of touching spheres, each sphere representing an atom of the tube. The electrostatic potential is written as a linear combination of the potentials produced by each of the spheres. We calculate the local electric field and the corresponding enhancement factor gamma for both open and closed nanotubes. For a closed NT we find for gamma a simple polynomial expression in terms of the ratio of the height h of the tube to its radius R, which for h/R<40 reduces to a frequently quoted formula of gamma. For an open single-wall NT we find that gamma is three times greater than that of a single-wall NT of the same h/R. As the thickness of the wall increases this difference diminishes. From these results one may deduce a possible explanation as to why in some experiments a closed NT emits more current than a corresponding open one while in other experiments the opposite holds true. (C) 2002 American Institute of Physics.
引用
收藏
页码:4580 / 4584
页数:5
相关论文
共 8 条
  • [1] Field emission from carbon nanotubes:: perspectives for applications and clues to the emission mechanism
    Bonard, JM
    Salvetat, JP
    Stöckli, T
    Forró, L
    Châtelain, A
    [J]. APPLIED PHYSICS A-MATERIALS SCIENCE & PROCESSING, 1999, 69 (03): : 245 - 254
  • [2] Unique characteristics of cold cathode carbon-nanotube-matrix field emitters
    Collins, PG
    Zettl, A
    [J]. PHYSICAL REVIEW B, 1997, 55 (15) : 9391 - 9399
  • [3] A CARBON NANOTUBE FIELD-EMISSION ELECTRON SOURCE
    DEHEER, WA
    CHATELAIN, A
    UGARTE, D
    [J]. SCIENCE, 1995, 270 (5239) : 1179 - 1180
  • [4] The enhancement factor and the characterization of amorphous carbon field emitters
    Edgcombe, CJ
    Valdrè, U
    [J]. SOLID-STATE ELECTRONICS, 2001, 45 (06) : 857 - 863
  • [5] LATHAM RV, 1981, HIGH VOLTAGE VACUUM
  • [6] UNRAVELING NANOTUBES - FIELD-EMISSION FROM AN ATOMIC WIRE
    RINZLER, AG
    HAFNER, JH
    NIKOLAEV, P
    LOU, L
    KIM, SG
    TOMANEK, D
    NORDLANDER, P
    COLBERT, DT
    SMALLEY, RE
    [J]. SCIENCE, 1995, 269 (5230) : 1550 - 1553
  • [7] Room-temperature transistor based on a single carbon nanotube
    Tans, SJ
    Verschueren, ARM
    Dekker, C
    [J]. NATURE, 1998, 393 (6680) : 49 - 52
  • [8] Nanobeam mechanics: Elasticity, strength, and toughness of nanorods and nanotubes
    Wong, EW
    Sheehan, PE
    Lieber, CM
    [J]. SCIENCE, 1997, 277 (5334) : 1971 - 1975