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The influences of ion bombardment on the field emission performance of tetrapod ZnO nanostructures are reported. As the scanning electron microscopy images and photoluminescence spectrum show, the tips of the field emitters are destroyed and the surface state of the field emitters is also changed after the ion bombardment. The ion bombardment has a considerable effect on the field emission properties of the tetrapod ZnO field emitters. After Ar+ ion bombardment with the energy of 3 keV and the ion current of 0.05 μA for 30 min, the turn-on field increases about 63% and the threshold field increases about 77%, respectively. There are two main reasons for the variation in field-emission property: (1) the decrement of the field enhancement factor β, which is caused by the variation in morphology of field emitter; (2) the increment of work function φ, which is caused by the changed concentration of the surface oxygen vacancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of ion bombardment on the field emission performance of tetrapod ZnO nanostructures is examined. The variation in field-emission property is because of the decrement of the field enhancement factor [beta] caused by the variation in morphology of field emitter and the increment of work function caused by the changed concentration of the surface oxygen vacancy.