Field emission of electrons from a single carbon fiber with a nanostructured emitting surface

The field emission of electrons from a single fine carbon fiber with a nanostructured emitting surface is studied experimentally. It is found that the fiber can serve as an effective field emitter of electrons at voltages of ∼102–103 under the conditions of technical vacuum and the emission current density may reach ∼102 A/cm2. At a certain threshold voltage, the fiber starts executing flexural mechanical vibrations. The onset of mechanical vibrations is accompanied by a change in the field emission conditions. Namely, in the absence of vibrations, the mode of steady current extraction is observed. When mechanical vibrations set in, the field emission switches to the mode of current periodic oscillations with a constant component.