Electron field emission from carbon nanoparticles prepared by microwave-plasma chemical-vapor deposition

Carbon nanoparticles were prepared from H₂ and CH₄ at various temperatures. The carbon nanoparticles were well graphitized, and the degree of graphitization increased with increasing growth temperature. Field-emission measurements showed that the carbon nanoparticles were excellent electron field emitters, comparable to carbon nanotubes. The field-emission properties became better with increasing growth temperature, and the threshold fields of the carbon nanoparticles deposited at 400, 500, 670 °C were 3.2, 3, and 1 V/μm, respectively. The low-threshold field of the carbon nanoparticles is attributed to the field-enhancement effect and the higher degree of graphitization. © 2001 American Institute of Physics.