R&D:
Carbon Nanotube Field Emitters


Scalable Carbon Nanotube Field Emitters for Scanning Electron Beam Instruments , Phase I
Department of Energy, SBIR Phase I Project,
Start Date: June 30, 2006

Xidex Corporation is demonstrating the utility of nano-sized high-aspect-ratio cylindrical carbon-nanotube (CNT) field emitters for Scanning Electron Microscopes (SEMs) and Transmission Electron Microscopes (TEMs) that can be fabricated commercially. The main innovation of this work is the possibility of the CNT field emitters becoming the optimal field emitters for cutting-edge commercial applications. Prospects for success are driven by Xidex’s unique, repeatable fabrication process for CNT emitters and some very promising preliminary results. The CNT emitters have potentially better emitter characteristics then conventional cold and Shottky-based field emitters and other CNT emitters fabricated with different technology.
 


Carbon Nanotube Field Emission Device for Flat Panel Displays, Phase I
National Science Foundation, SBIR Phase I Project, Start Date: July 1, 2001

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project demonstrated the feasibility of fabricating a carbon nanotube based field emission device (FED) and of operating FEDs. The approach was a natural extension of Xidex.s patented Nanotube Catalyst Retaining Structure (NCRS) method. The Phase I work was aimed at overcomig limitations that have prevented FEDs from successful use in the established liquid crystal display (LCD) market and to initiate a broad range of other applications that require growth of aligned carbon nanotubes as functional elements of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). This new concept in nanotechnology will be useful in application of carbon nanotubes as functional elements of integrated circuit (IC) and MEMS devices involving a multi-layered structure of metal, insulator, and carbon nanotubes. Potential commercial applications are expected in field emission displays, electron microscopes, illumination devices, sensors, and similar devices.

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