Field Emission Devices with Carbon Nanotube and Nanofiber Cathodes

This thesis presents research involving the fabrication and characterization of field emission devices utilizing carbon nanotubes and nanofibers as the field emission material. Carbon nanotube based gated cathodes were fabricated. These devices were tested under vacuum and were found to emit at low turn-on voltages. I-V data was obtained and was found to be in agreement with Fowler-Nordheim theory. Open top triodes were also fabricated and tested. The properties of these devices are discussed. A gate leakage current was measured on the carbon nanotube devices. This current was found to be caused by a carbon film deposited during the nanotube growth process. Experiments were also performed on the fabrication of carbon nanofiber based field emission devices. The results of these experiments are discussed.