Evolution of the characteristics of a field-electron emitter based on nitrocellulose-carbon nanotube composite

Characteristics of a field-electron emitter based on a nitrocelulose-multiwalled carbon nanotube composite have been studied. A new method of the recording and online processing of current-voltage (I–U) characteristics of multipoint field-electron emitters has been developed for monitoring the evolution of their properties. Using this method, we have (i) determined the dependences of the field enhancement factor and number of emission centers on the interelectrode distance, (ii) discovered hysteresis of the I–V curve related to variation of the amplitude of applied voltage pulses, and (iii) revealed the influence of the initial emission current level on the temporal evolution of emitter properties.