Field electron emission from layers with very long carbon nanotubes/nanofilaments grown by CVD

This paper investigates field emission from layers of long carbon nanotubes/nanofilaments. Such layers are grown by CVD techniques on a silica substrate covered by micro-particles of iron oxalate as the catalyst in a flow of methane-hydrogen mixture at 1050°C. The layers are investigated by TEM, SAED and SEM. Results show that at emission currents exceeding 50 mA, one or several luminous filaments stretched from the sample toward the anode are observed. At small E_av a fine red line is visible. Then as E_av increased a filament becomes bright white and soon disappeared.