Atomic Level Surface Studies of Carbon Nanotube Field Emission Cathodes

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Carbon nanotubes have the potential to contribute substantially to many aspects of nanoscience including the enabling of new technologies such as molecular electronics, miniaturized sensors, and unique materials. Carbon nanotube (CNT) field emission electron sources are of particular interest because of their unique physical, electrical, and chemical properties. The stability and reliability of these sources is governed by the chemical composition and morphology of their surface. This research project will correlate the field emission characteristics of carbon nanotubes with the chemical composition and morphology of the nanotube surface. The chemical and morphological composition will be investigated at the atomic level using the Imaging Atom-Probe, a technique that provides atomic resolution, morphological imaging, and the chemical identification of surface and near surface species. The resulting information will provide, for the first time, a correlation between fundamental CNT emission processes and details of surface morphology and chemical composition.The program will impact the way CNT characterization is performed in the future and facilitate the incorporation of CNT sources into practical devices thereby impacting nanoelectronics, vacuum microelectronics, and molecular electronics. The program also presents a unique opportunity for blending the educational experience of minority students at the University of New Mexico with nanoscience and technology by acquainting a culturally diverse student population with a scientific program that complements on going research at Sandia and Los Alamos National Laboratories.