Improved analytical framework for quantifying field emission from nanostructures

Abstract

Field emission properties of well characterized thin films, prepared using hydrothermal method, have been analysed to propose a new set of parameters for quantification of electron emission quality. Hydrothermally grown Nanopetals and nanorods of NiO and TiO2 respectively show good field emission properties of course different from each other due to variation in microstructures. The proposed analytical method enables one to understand the field emission properties in better sense as compared to the traditionally used framework, namely the Fowler-Nordhiem approach. The proposed model improves the analysis by introducing a boost-factor to take care of the field emission data in totality unlike the traditional method where only currents for higher electric fields are considered. The proposed model is found to be more appropriate as it addresses the ambiguity present in the previously used method. A quantum mechanical approach has been adopted for explaining the improved field emission properties from these nanostructures using the concept of tunnelling probability. © 2020 Elsevier B.V.