Abstract
This chapter emphasizes on carbon nanotube’s (CNT) growth kinetics and the
development of CNT-based thin film cathode emitters. It highlights intensifying critical process
parameters to design appropriate cathodes by creating vertically aligned carbon nanotubes
using injection chemical vapour deposition. In the process of improving field emission (FE)
characteristics, (i) the process of hetero-atom doping, (ii) high degree of alignment, (iii)
controlled spatial distribution, and (iv) uniform height of CNT are the desirable criteria. The
strategy of hetero-atom doping in a carbon network is adapted to tailor the work function of
CNT, which is crucial in tuning the FE characteristics of CNT film. Doping-induced atomisticdefects influence field emission characteristics, while thermal transport and failure of carbon
nanotubes with fast transient joule heating during the field emission are described with the
experimental evidences. The electrostatic screening effects (ESE) between aligned CNTs and
the strategies to suppress ESE were critically emphasized. In this chapter, the role of (i) islandstructured CNT film, (ii) patterned growth, and (iii) height-to-diameter ratio modulation in
suppressing ESE is elaborately discussed. The physical parameters of CNT and phenomenon
affecting the electron emission characteristics of CNT cathode are described in detail.
Ultimately, CNTs standing vertically on the substrates are noble candidates for constructing
new cathode electrodes fulfilling these exceptional FE characteristics, but their dimensions and
density on the substrate must be adjusted and tailored for real-time applications. Considering
the importance of this application, the challenges and future prospectus of CNT based cathode
emitters are also covered.