The Structure and Electrical Characteristics of CNTs Depending on the Hydrogen Plasma Treatment

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were grown on Ni-coated TiN/Si substrate by microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition using mixture gas of $H_2/CH_4$ at low temperature of 500 $^{\circ}C$. Average diameter of CNTs could be easily controlled by $H_2$ plasma pretreatment time before CNTs growth. The turn-on voltages of CNT emitters were varied from 3.5 $V/{\mu}m$ to 9 $V/{\mu}m$ according to the hydrogen pretreatment conditions. The close relationship between electron emission characteristics and pretreatment time indicates that pretreatment condition can be a key process parameter in CNTs growth for field emission displays..