Post-breakdown field emission behavior of a planar-structured single SWNT bundle in air

In this paper, we report the field emission (FE) behavior in air of a single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) bundle after breakdown. Our samples have the planar structure on the SiO₂/Si substrate of one breaking-tip of a single SWCNT bundle horizontally pointing to the sidewall of an electrode with a nano-sized gap, which were prepared using microfabrication techniques, AC dielectrophoresis (DEP) and current-induced breakdown in sequence. The current–voltage relationship was monitored under 0–100 V scanning DC voltage. The results show that the planar-structured SWCNT bundle in air presents a significantly different FE performance from the conventional vertical structured carbon nanotube (CNTs) FE devices in vacuum. Similarly, the former FE current also exhibits several interval phenomena instead of monotonically exponentially rising (Di Bartolomeo et al 2007 Carbon 45 2957–71), while the structural damage of CNT tips result from oxidation instead of defects largening as for the latter. This research is conducive to further knowledge of possible electrical behavior after CNT breakdown for the failure effect during the fabrication and operation of CNT-based electronic/sensing devices and systems. (paper)