Dynamic behaviors of carbon nanotube emitters under field emission examined by in-situ transmission electron microscopy

We have studied dynamic behavior of carbon nanotube (CNT) emitters under field emission (FE) by in-situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM). CNTs examined in the present study are (1) a closed cap multi-wall CNT (MVVNT), (2) an open ended MWNT, and (3) bundles of double-wall CNTs (DWNTs). For open MWNT, peeling-off of outer layers and subsequent sublimation of the layers were observed. The closed MWNT did not show severe peeling of graphite layers when the emission current was moderate, though sublimation of a few layers was observed at higher current. For DWNTs, sublimation started from a tip of the bundle.