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A Facile Approach towards Fabrication of GdB 6 ‐ZnO Heteroarchitecture as High Current Density Cold Cathode
Author(s) -
Suryawanshi Sachin R.,
Mistari Chetan D.,
Singh Anil K.,
Phase Deodatta M.,
Late Dattatray J.,
Sinha Sucharita,
More Mahendra A.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
chemistryselect
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.437
H-Index - 34
ISSN - 2365-6549
DOI - 10.1002/slct.201600956
Subject(s) - materials science , field electron emission , nanorod , common emitter , cathode , current density , x ray photoelectron spectroscopy , nanotechnology , optoelectronics , substrate (aquarium) , hydrothermal circulation , coating , fabrication , analytical chemistry (journal) , chemical engineering , chemistry , medicine , physics , oceanography , alternative medicine , pathology , quantum mechanics , chromatography , geology , engineering , electron
Three dimensional (3D) GdB 6 ‐ZnO heteroarchitecture comprised of thin coating of GdB 6 on self aligned ZnO urchins with pointed apex has been synthesized employing optimized Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD) technique. The self aligned ZnO urchins on Zn substrate were obtained using hydrothermal route. The as‐synthesized GdB 6 ‐ZnO heteroarchitecture was characterized using XRD, SEM, TEM XPS, and UPS in order to reveal its structural, morphological, chemical, and electronic properties. Interestingly, the GdB 6 ‐ZnO heteroarchitecture exhibits superior field emission (FE) behviour in contrast to the pristine ZnO urchins envisaged by extraction of very high emission current density of ∼ 4.6 mA/cm 2 at an applied field of ∼ 4.5 V/μm, against ∼1.5 mA/cm 2 at an applied field of ∼ 5.6 V/μm from the pristine ZnO urchins emitter. Furthermore, the GdB 6 ‐ZnOemitter exhibits good emission stability at pre‐set value of ∼5 μA over duration of more than 3 hours. The superior FE behaviour of the GdB 6 ‐ZnO is attributed to low workfunction of GdB 6 and presence of nanometric protrusions on the emitter surface, further enhancing the aspect ratio provided by the ZnO urchins. The present results demonstrate a facile approach towards fabrication of high current density cold cathodes due to rare earth hexaborides via designing heteroarchitectures comprised of their well adherent ultrathin coating on high aspect ratio metal oxide nanostructures.