Large current density from carbon nanotube field emitters

We observe that field emitters made from carbon nanotubes exhibit excellent macroscopic emission properties; they can operate at a very large current density, as high as 4 A/cm(2). At electric fields as low as 4-7 V/mu m, they emit technologically useful current densities of 10 mA/cm(2). We show that the emission originates from nanotube ends with a characteristic structured ring pattern. The emission characteristics and durability of the carbon nanotube cold cathodes offer promising applications for vacuum microelectronic devices. (C) 1999 American Institute of Physics. {[}S0003-6951(99)02332-3].