RESUMO
A field emission electron source was fabricated on a Si substrate using Ag-Cu alloy (ACa) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs). The ACa was adopted as a binder material due to its excellent electrical conductivity, oxidation stability, and suitable melting point (783 degrees C). The surface morphology of the ACa-film was improved by introducing an Nb layer as an adhesion layer between the ACa-film and the Si substrate. The ACa-film thickness was varied from 100 to 500 nm. The spray method was employed to deposit a CNT film on the ACa/Nb/Si substrate for large area fabrication. After annealing the substrate at 700 degrees C for 10 min, the CNT film was tightly welded on the ACa-films, and the CNT-emitters fabricated on the 400-nm-thick ACa-film exhibited high current density and stability with a low turn-on voltage. It is worth noting that ACa could be applied to the glass substrate because the CNT-emitters fabricated at 500 degrees C exhibited good field emission characteristics.