Single-crystalline GdB6 nanowire field emitters.
Having the lowest work function in the rare-earth hexaboride family, GdB6 nanowires of rectangular cross-section with about 50 nm in lateral dimension and several microns in length have been successfully produced using a CVD method. The nanowires are grown in the 001 lattice direction, and both the tip-top and the side surfaces are terminated with the {100} lattice planes. A GdB6 single nanowire field emitter has also been built with an emission current of more than 150 nA at an applied field of less than 3.2 V/mum. The work function of the nanowire emitter was estimated to be about 1.5 eV.
Zhang
Han
H
Curriculum in Applied and Materials Sciences, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-3255, USA.
Zhang
Qi
Q
Zhao
Gongpu
G
Tang
Jie
J
Zhou
Otto
O
Qin
Lu-Chang
LC
D001895:Boron / Q000737:chemistry*; D003460:Crystallization; D005682:Gadolinium / Q000737:chemistry*; D043942:Nanotubes / Q000737:chemistry*; D010316:Particle Size
D005682:Gadolinium; D001895:Boron