Roy Mahapatra, D., Anand, S.V., Sinha, N., and Melnik, R.V.N.
Proc. 12th Annual NSTI Nanotech Conference, Nanotech Conference & Expo 2009, Technical Proceedings - Nanotechnology 2009, Eds. Laudon, M. and Romanowicz, B., Houston, Texas, May 3-7, 2009, USA, CRC Press, Vol. 1, 310-313, ISBN: 978-1-4398-1786-5, 2009
In this paper we discuss a new technique to image the surfaces of metallic substrates using field emission from a pointed array of carbon nanotubes (CNTs). We consider a pointed height distribution of the CNT array under a diode configuration with two side gates maintained at a negative potential to obtain a highly intense beam of electrons localized at the center of the array. The CNT array on a metallic substrate is considered as the cathode and the test substrate as the anode. Scanning the test Substrate with the cathode reveals that the field emission current is highly sensitive to the surfacefeatures with nanometer resolution. Surface features of semi-circular, triangular and rectangular geometries (projections and grooves) are considered for simulation. This surface scanning/mapping technique can be applied for surfaceroughness measurements with nanoscale accuracy. micro/nano damage detection, high precision displacement sensors, vibrometers and accelerometers. among other applications.
Keywords: carbon nanotube; field emission; surface imaging; pointed height distribution; array; sensors; mathematical modelling
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