Comparison of field electron emission from carbon nanotube films produced by different techniques

In this paper we study the field electron emission properties of CNT films produced by different techniques on Si, metal and glass substrates: (i) electrophoretic deposition of single-wall and multiwall CNT onto conducting substrates from alcohol suspensions, (ii) catalytic pyrolysis of multiwall CNT, (iii) formation of CNT films on metal substrates by gas-static pressing, (iv) explosive implantation of CNT into metal layers, (v) shock-wave compacting of various powder materials with CNT, etc. In addition we study carbon nanoparticle-based emitters produced by electrochemical codeposition of metals with nanodiamond powders or chemical vapor deposited carbon 'needle-shaped' nanostructures using a dc arc plasma activation of triple (methane-argon-nitrogen) gas mixtures.