The study of the influence of field emitter design parameters on emission properties using TCAD simulation

Abstract

The study of the influence of field emitter design parameters on electric field and current-voltage characteristics using Sentaurus TCAD simulation was carried out. Electric field distribution and current-voltage characteristics were calculated for single vertically placed carbon nanotubes (CNT) and CNT-bundle. Silicon columnar structures with horizontally placed CNT were also analysed. For vertically placed CNTs it was shown that increase in aspect ratio by reducing the CNT diameter leads to significant increase in emission current. For columnar structures it was shown that maximum electric field near the horizontally placed CNTs much less than the field near the vertically placed CNTs with similar anode-cathode voltages. Emission current is negligible at CNT work function φ>2eV.