Unraveling Nanotubes: Field Emission from an Atomic Wire
Andrew G. Rinzler(Rice University), Jason H. Hafner(Rice University), Pavel Nikolaev(Rice University), Peter Nordlander(Rice University), Daniel T. Colbert(Rice University), R. E. Smalley(Rice University), L.H. Lou(University of California, Irvine), Seong‐Gon Kim(Michigan State University), David Tománek(Michigan State University)
Cited by 1,590
Abstract
Field emission of electrons from individually mounted carbon nanotubes has been found to be dramatically enhanced when the nanotube tips are opened by laser evaporation or oxidative etching. Emission currents of 0.1 to 1 microampere were readily obtained at room temperature with bias voltages of less than 80 volts. The emitting structures are concluded to be linear chains of carbon atoms, Cn, (n = 10 to 100), pulled out from the open edges of the graphene wall layers of the nanotube by the force of the electric field, in a process that resembles unraveling the sleeve of a sweater.