Effects of oxygen adsorption on carbon nanotube field emitters

Abstract

Effects of oxygen adsorption on the field emission of carbon nanotubes are studied through first-principles calculations. Calculated emission currents are significantly enhanced when oxygen is adsorbed at the tip and the underlying physics is explained in terms of the change in the electronic structure by oxidation and the local field increase at the adsorption site. The issue of the current degradation accompanied by the oxidative etching is also addressed. The field-emission-microscopy images on the phosphor screen are simulated, displaying various patterns characteristic of each adsorption configuration.