Controllable Synthesis of Single Crystalline SmB6 Nanostructure Arrays and Research on Their Field Emission Property

Being a typical Kondo topological insulator, samarium hexaboride (SmB6) attracts much interest in condensed physics and material sciences in recent years. In comparison with their bulk counterparts, SmB6 nanostructures have more abundant surface electron states due to larger specific surface area, which are believed as idea platforms for studying surface quantum properties and physic mechanism. Through chemical vapor deposition (CVD), SmB6 nanobelt and nanowire films were respectively prepared on Si substrate. Both SmB6 nanowires and nanobelts are proven as the cubic single crystals, and their growth directions are, along [100] and [110], respectively. Field emission (FE) results show that SmB6 nanobelts have a turn-on field of 3.24 V/μm and their maximum current density arrives at 466.16 µA/cm 2, which are better than SmB6 nanowires. Considering that SmB6 nanostructures have lower electron affinity, higher electron conductivity and more abundant surface states, they are regarded as excellent cold cathode nanomaterials if their FE performances can be further improved.