A novel catalyst-free synthesis of vertically aligned silicon nanowire–carbon nanotube heterojunction arrays for high performance electron field emitters

Abstract

A novel, catalyst-free strategy for the direct synthesis of vertically aligned silicon nanowire–carbon nanotube (SiNW–CNT) heterojunction arrays is presented. Such a heterojunction with the junction area in the nanoscale displays enhanced field emission characteristics at low turn-on field, with a nearly three times increase in the field enhancement factor.