Effects of light illumination on field emission from CuO nanobelt arrays

Effects of pulsed and continuous light illumination on field emission from CuO nanobelt arrays have been studied by using a transparent anode technique. It is found that, at low-field emission current level, the field emission current generally increases under a pulsed irradiation; at an emission current level of 1.1μA, a 19% increase in emission current was recorded. The photoinduced current increase is reduced with increasing emission current and is undetectable when the emission current is higher than 15μA. On the other hand, a long time illumination of the sample decreases the field emission current. Possible physical mechanisms behind the observed phenomena are discussed.