Special Friday publication post! In this newest publication, authors used the #FusionAX holder in an ETEM to observe the formation of carbon nanotubes under a bias! Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) hold immense potential for applications like field emission (FE) sources, but optimizing their synthesis demands a deep understanding of growth kinetics.
⚡Using a homemade polarizable capacitor gap within a microchip sample heater, the authors directly observed the growth of individual, predominantly single-walled CNTs in real time. This setup enabled in situ field emission measurements during and after growth, providing a complete picture of CNT development.
✨At low fields, CNTs can span the gap and connect with the opposite electrode, but some mechanical failure was observed.
At high positive bias, CNT growth was constrained within the gap due to simultaneous field emission, leading to growth saturation or damage.
The authors identified a self-oscillation induced destruction mechanism—an entirely new phenomenon impacting CNT cathode performance.
This approach allows to pause and evaluate growth at any stage, delivering unprecedented insights into the factors limiting CNT performance. The findings pave the way for tailoring CNT synthesis for enhanced reliability and efficiency in field emission applications.
Want to read the entire paper?
Find it here!
https://www.doi.org/10.1116/6.0003413
#Protochips #FindYourBreakthrough #InSituMicroscopy
