Carbon nanotube lateral field emission devices

Abstract

Fabrication and operation of a carbon nanotube lateral field emission device is reported. Compared to vertical field emitters using carbon nanotube cathodes, it has less alignment problems since the anode is fabricated at the same time as the cathode and the gates, and also may have reduced leakage since the electrodes are well separated. We use thermally oxidised S as the substrate. Initially, Cr/Au alignment marks are deposited to use as reference markers. Then a thin layer of Al is evaporated, which act as the sacrificial layer. Multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) were synthesised by plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition and dispersed on the Al surface. Electron beam lithography is used to define the anode, gates and the cathode contacts of the devices. After Cr/Al metal deposition and lift-off the sacrificial Al is etched away leaving the carbon nanotube suspended. An scanning electron microscopy (SEM) image of a carbon nanotube lateral field emitter was showed.