Effects of short-time plasma treatment in the magnetron sputtering equipment on various carbon nanotubes for applied to LCD backlight unit

The field emission and luminescent properties of various (single-walled CNTs, double-walled CNTs, multi-walled CNTs, and carbon nanofibers) screen-printed carbon nanotubes (SP-CNTs) that were straightened using plasma treatment in the magnetron sputtering equipment (MSE) for a short time were investigated. The SP-CNTs investigated CNT field emitter arrays for back light unit (BLU) in liquid crystal display (LCD). The plasma treatment in the MSE enhanced the emission properties of the single-walled CNTs (SWCNTs) and double-walled CNTs (DWCNTs): the emission uniformity and number of emission sites increased. Recurring problems associated with SW and DW SP-CNTs such as bent and/or buried CNTs and degradation of binder–residue-induced emission were ameliorated by inducing protrusion from the binder and permanent straightening of the SW and DW SP-CNTs as a result of treatment. The multi-walled CNTs (MWCNTs) and carbon nanofibers (CNFs) had partial emission sites with poor emission factors. The results of the present study suggest that plasma treatment in the MSE of SW and DW SP-CNTs is an effective method for achieving uniform field emission and reducing the aging.