Increased efficiency and duration of emission from carbon nanotubes processed in ammonia plasma

A technique for obtaining carbon nanotubes (CNTs) doped with nitrogen in ammonia plasma has been developed. In this technique, CNTs synthesized by a method excluding their doping with nitrogen are post-treated in ammonia plasma. This treatment leads to a more than fivefold increase in the concentration of nitrogen (from 0.7 to 3.6 at%), a sixfold decrease in the resistance, and a 10% decrease in the work function of CNTs, resulting in stabilization of the process of cold electron emission.