Electron Emitters

Abstract

When two carbon-nanotube coated electrodes are placed at a small distance from each other, electron emission from carbon nanotubes allows a DC or AC electrical current to flow between these two electrodes. The voltage drop across these two electrodes depends on the electric field needed for emitting electrons necessary for carrying electric current and the distance between these two electrodes. This electrical coupler may find applications to high-voltage circuits, which operate at voltages of a much larger value than what is needed across the electrical coupler to supply the current. Because of the non-contact nature of this class of electrical coupler, two electrodes are allowed to move with respect to each other while keeping the gap spacing constant and allowing the DC or AC power to be coupled from one electrode to the other.

Open PDF

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jul 31, 2002
Accession Number
ADA404829

Entities

People

  • Yonhua Tzeng

Organizations

  • Auburn University

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Carbon Nanotubes
  • Chemical Vapor Deposition
  • Chemistry
  • Current Density
  • Diamond Films
  • Electron Emission
  • Electron Microscopy
  • Electrons
  • Field Emission
  • Fluids
  • Materials
  • Materials Processing
  • Materials Science
  • Measurement
  • Metallic Nanoparticles
  • Photoelectrochemical Cells
  • Raman Spectra

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Electrical Engineering
  • Optical Physics and Photonics.

Technology Areas

  • Microelectronics
  • Space
  • Space - Hall-Effect Thruster