Characterization and field-emission properties of carbon nanotube arrays in nanoporous alumina template and on blank Si substrate

Abstract

Ordered carbon nanotube (CNT) arrays were synthesized within anodized aluminum oxide template by thermal decomposition of hydrocarbon precursor with hydrogen ambient at growth temperature as low as 500 degrees C. Excess hydrogen in precursor mixture enables a steady supply of mobile hydrocarbon reactant which promotes facile solid-phase diffusion. The activation energy for CNT growth was determined to be 0.55 eV, a number smaller than 1.02 eV for similar precursor in nitrogen ambient. Moreover, CNTs grown in anodized aluminum oxide nanopores in this low temperature process were found to exhibit unusually high field-emission current of 100 mA/cm(2) at 8 V/mu m. (c) 2006 American Institute of Physics.