Enhancement of Field Emission Properties of Carbon Nanotube Forests by Direct Growth on Titanium Nitride-Coated Substrates

A turn-on field reduction of up to 59% was observed for field emission (FE) from carbon nanotube (CNT) forests that were grown on titanium nitride (TiN) coated substrates instead of on pristine ones. The FE properties of the CNTs were enhanced by the TiN films on the substrates-which were generated by plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD)-without a noticeable impact on the emitter morphology. These results are transferred from bulk to nanomembrane substrates revealing improved FE properties, which could potentially be used for future sensor applications.