The "low-threshold" field electron emission from carbon nanoclusters (review)

This review includes: a general review of the state of affairs, and the analysis of main effects. A particular attention is given to: data on the low-threshold emission, analysis of the results of investigations of their field emission characteristics, discussion of proposed mechanisms of the field electron emission in these materials, analysis of current-voltage characteristics, data of field electron emission microscopy; data on the stability of field electron emission and its uniformity across the surface of field emission cathode arrays, analysis of the data on the structure and microgeometry of the surface. A special attention is paid to the most recent studies; the results of the research by the present authors are given as well.