Vertically aligned nanorods of lanthanum hexaboride with efficient field emission properties

• Published in: Solid state communications Vol. 153; no. 1; pp. 35 - 39
• Main Authors: Jha, Menaka, Patra, Rajkumar, Ghosh, Santanu, Ganguli, Ashok K.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.01.2013; Elsevier
• Subjects: A. Lanthanum hexaboride; B. Reverse micellar route; Chemical synthesis methods; Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; D. Field emission; Electron and ion emission by liquids and solids; impact phenomena; Exact sciences and technology; Field emission, ionization, evaporation, and desorption; Materials science; Methods of nanofabrication; Physics; A. Lanthanum hexaboride; D. Field emission; B. Reverse micellar route; Crystal form; Lanthanum boride; Electron field emission; Nanoparticles; Size effect; Vertical alignment; Spin-on coating; Microstructure; Nanorod; Nanomaterial synthesis
• ISSN: 0038-1098; 1879-2766
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ssc.2012.10.007

The present study describes a borothermal reduction process to obtain nanostructured lanthanum hexaboride (LaB6) particles and their films. The morphology (nanorods and nanoparticles) of the boride nanostructures could be controlled by using a lanthanum hydroxide precursor (with controlled shape and size) obtained by a microemulsion mediated process. The LaB6 films fabricated by spin coating of nanorods of LaB6 led to an assembly of vertically oriented nanorods with excellent field emission properties (field enhancement factor of 4522). This methodology does not require any template for obtaining these vertically aligned nanorods. The field emission properties can be tuned by controlling the shape and size of the lanthanum hexaboride nanostructures. ► Control of shape and size of nanostructured LaB6. ► Template free process to obtain vertically oriented LaB6 nanorods. ► Vertically oriented LaB6 nanorods shows excellent field emission properties.