Efficient field emission from single crystalline indium oxide pyramids

Well-aligned indium oxide pyramids were synthesized on a Ni-coated silicon (100) substrate by a chemical vapor deposition. Scanning electron microscopy and x-ray diffraction investigations show that these pyramids present a tetragonal morphology and single-crystalline cubic bixbyite structure. The size control of the pyramids was achieved by varying the growth temperature. Field-emission characteristics of the as-grown indium oxide pyramids were measured. The field-emission current density of the nanopyramids (average size: ∼180 nm) reached about 1 mA/cm2 at a threshold field of about 6.0 V/μm, which is comparable to that of carbon nanotubes, and can guarantee sufficient luminescence brightness in a flat panel display.