Field Emission and Growth of Fullerene Nanotubes

Abstract

ABSTRACTEfforts to control the growth of individual carbon nanotubes from nanotube seed crystals have led to a characterization of their field-induced electron emission behavior. The application of a bias voltage in our growth apparatus was motivated by the prolific formation of nanotubes in the carbon arc growth method, in which the electric field appears to play a central role. We report here the ability to achieve various tube tip configurations by the controlled application of voltage, heat and chemicals to an individual nanotube, and that these states are well characterized by the emission currents they induce.