Lateral distribution of field-emitted electrons from a carbon nanofiber array: A theoretical calculation

The authors have calculated the lateral distribution of field emitted electrons from a carbon nanofiber (CNF) array - a quantity of importance in designing field emission displays - by calculating the electron distribution from an individual CNF and subsequently summing the contribution from all individual CNFs. The authors have not obtained the absolute value of the current but only its relative distribution in space. The full width at half maximum of the lateral distribution has been examined with respect to the following parameters: 1) the CNF tip radius, 2) the anode to cathode distance, and 3) the cathode to anode potential difference. Reasonable agreement with experimental results is obtained. © 2014 American Vacuum Society.