In situ field emission characterization of high-current cathodes based on commercially available single-walled carbon nanotube papers
This study investigates the potential of commercially available single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) papers as high-current field emission cathodes from both macroscopic and microscopic perspectives. By employing an optimized cutting strategy designed to maximize the density of emitting bundles, we demonstrate that macroscopic emission currents of up to 15 mA at 3 kV can be achieved using a 1 cm long sample. To better understand the emission behavior and performance limits of these cathodes, in situ field emission experiments were carried out inside a scanning electron microscope on both individual bundles and groups of bundles. These experiments enabled the characterization of the maximum emission currents as well as the identification of the dominant degradation mechanisms, including mechanical tearing, field evaporation, and vacuum breakdown events. Interestingly, the SWNT papers exhibit a remarkable resilience to vacuum breakdown and maintain excellent emission properties after exposure to ambient air. These results highlight the potential of SWNT papers as practical and robust cathodes for the next-generation vacuum electronic devices.
Authors
- Federico Panciera (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2455-6516)
- Costel‐Sorin Cojocaru (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9601-4647)
- Nicholas Blanchard (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8369-0251)
- Salvador Barranco Cárceles (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8154-0866)
- J. C. Acosta Abanto (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9484-7610)
- Anthony Ayari (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1654-5470)
- Pierre Legagneux (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6474-8638)
- Stephen Thomas Purcell (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0000-3656-4703)
- S. Perisanu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1408-2425)
- Eva Monroy (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5481-3267)
- Vladimir Pimonov (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8067-4790)
- P. Vincent (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9283-4541)
- Ettore Coccato (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0006-2061-3471)
- Quentin Chabré (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0002-4396-8137)
- Victor Verdugo Gutierrez
Institutions
- Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 (FR)
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR)
- École Polytechnique (FR)
- Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique et aux Énergies Alternatives (FR)
- Université Paris-Saclay (FR)
- Thales (Australia) (AU)
- CEA Grenoble (FR)
- Centre de Nanosciences et de Nanotechnologies (FR)
- Laboratoire de Physique des Interfaces et des Couches Minces (FR)
- Institut Lumière Matière (FR)
- Institut Polytechnique de Paris (FR)
- Université Grenoble Alpes (FR)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Journal of Applied Physics
- Published
- 2026-10-16
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0353323
- Primary Topic
- Carbon Nanotubes in Composites
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- Agence Nationale de la Recherche
- Institut de physique