Synthesis of patterned carbon nanotube arrays for field emission using a two layer Sn/Ni catalyst in an ethanol flame

Abstract Patterned carbon nanotube (CNT) arrays on Si substrate have been fabricated by using a two layer Sn/Ni catalyst in a diffusion ethanol flame. Vertically well-aligned CNT arrays were achieved on a Si substrate without any catalyst pretreatment. The Sn underlayer activated the substrates for CNT growth with Ni as catalyst, and provided a good contact between CNTs and the substrate, which is useful for field emission. Since the adhesion of Sn/Ni nanoparticles to the substrate is very strong, the growth of the CNTs follows a base-growth mode. The thickness of the Sn underlayer largely determines the diameter and diameter distribution of the as-grown CNTs. The morphologies and field electron emission properties of CNT arrays grown on Si substrates with different thicknesses of Sn and growth times have been investigated. The variation of emission current density was less than 5% during a 4 h test under a field of 1.77 V/µm.