Large field enhancement at electrochemically grown quasi-1D Ni nanostructures with low-threshold cold-field electron emission

Ni nanorod arrays have been vertically grown on a Ta-coated Si substrate via an electrodeposition process through the nanopores of a porous alumina membrane. Field emission studies of the samples are performed which show a considerable low-threshold field around 5 V mu m(-1). The field emission mechanism followed Fowler-Nordheim tunneling due to large field enhancement at the emitter tips. Low-dimensional structures of the nanorod tips provided the large geometrical field enhancement and thus produce a high enough local or barrier field for low-threshold cold-field electron emission. The cost-effective synthesis of vertically aligned Ni nanorods on an Si substrate and low-threshold field emission properties can provide a potential alternative to conventional carbon-based field emitters for low power panel applications.