Characteristics of flat panel display using carbon nanotubes as electron emitters

The fabrication of carbon nanotube emitters with excellent emission properties is described. Carbon nanotube (CNT) clusters synthesized by are discharge were crushed, mixed with conductive pastes and then screen-printed. The measurements carried out using a diode structure reveal that the electron held emission of the as-grown CNT clusters can be turned on with a field as low as 1.45 V/mu m and can attain a current density as large as 3 mA/cm(2). By contrast, the electron field emission of the CNT thick films can be turned on at 1.34 V/mu m, attaining a emission current density of 7 mA/cm(2) at 4 V/mu m. No significant degradation of these performances is observed with these electron emitters operated at 3 V/mu m under a current density of 0.4 mA/cm(2) for 1500 min. A flat panel display using CNT thick films as electron emitters, which possessed a brightness as high as 800 cd/m(2) under an applied field of 5 V/mu m, has been demonstrated. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.