Field emission properties of patterned carbon nanotube cathodes prepared by cold-pressing method

A method of preparing a patterned carbon nanotube (CNT) cathode via a cold-pressing method is used in this study. The patterned cathode exhibited a low turn-on field strength and no significant deterioration in electron emission property, and the effects of different cold-press pressures on the field emission property of the patterned cathode were studied. Experimental results showed that when the cold-press pressure is 50 MPa, the patterned cathode has excellent field emission properties with a current fluctuation of 3.19 % (initial current density of 1.5 mA/cm2), a low turn-on field of 0.77 V/mu m, and an emission current density of 9.45 mA/cm2 at an electric field of 2.17 V/mu m. This study provides a feasible technical route for the low-cost and high-efficiency production of patterned cathode, which has broad application prospects.