Field-electron emission microscopy of carbon-saturated rhenium

The growth of carbon structures on the surface of a rhenium point field emitter has been studied by field electron microscopy (FEM). It is established that graphene formation takes place on close-packed crystal faces of rhenium and leads to decrease in their work function. For rhenium exposed in benzene vapors, the formation of graphene islands requires a much longer time than that for iridium. Heating of carbon-saturated rhenium point field emitter up to temperatures close to its melting point with subsequent cooling does not lead to changes in the work function and FEM image of the emitter surface. The observed phenomena are explained by high solubility of carbon in rhenium.