A large-area, screen-printed nanostructured carbon-based field emission cathode

A method of screen printing carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in a dielectric binder to produce low-cost, large area field emission electron sources is presented. Imaging under the scanning electron microscope (SEM) shows the nanotubes forming dense clusters on the substrate surface with protruding CNTs in random orientations. The printed device gives an emission current of 45 mAcm^-2 at an applied field of 6.5 Vμm^-1 and can be fabricated using several substrate materials.