02234nas a2200205   4500008004100000245010700041210006900148260000800217300001400225490000600239520149100245100002801736700002401764700002001788700002401808700002401832700002101856700002301877856012801900       2016                        eng d00aFacile approach towards fabrication of GdB6-ZnO heteroarchitecture as high currentdensity cold cathode0 aFacile approach towards fabrication of GdB6ZnO heteroarchitectur  cAUG  a3723-37290 v13 aThree dimensional (3D) GdB6-ZnO heteroarchitecture comprised of thin coating of GdB6 on self aligned ZnO urchins with pointed apex has been synthesized employing optimized Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD) technique. The self aligned ZnO urchins on Zn substrate were obtained using hydrothermal route. The as-synthesized GdB6-ZnO heteroarchitecture was characterized using XRD, SEM, TEM XPS, and UPS in order to reveal its structural, morphological, chemical, and electronic properties. Interestingly, the GdB6-ZnO heteroarchitecture exhibits superior field emission (FE) behviour in contrast to the pristine ZnO urchins envisaged by extraction of very high emission current density of similar to 4.6 mA/cm(2) at an applied field of similar to 4.5 V/mm, against similar to 1.5 mA/cm(2) at an applied field of similar to 5.6 V/mm from the pristine ZnO urchins emitter. Furthermore, the GdB6-ZnOemitter exhibits good emission stability at pre-set value of similar to 5 mA over duration of more than 3 hours. The superior FE behaviour of the GdB6-ZnO is attributed to low work-function of GdB6 and presence of nanometric protrusions on the emitter surface, further enhancing the aspect ratio provided by the ZnO urchins. The present results demonstrate a facile approach towards fabrication of high current density cold cathodes due to rare earth hexaborides via designing hetero-architectures comprised of their well adherent ultrathin coating on high aspect ratio metal oxide nanostructures.1 aSuryawanshi, Sachin, R.1 aMistari, Chetan, D.1 aSingh, Anil, K.1 aPhase, Deodatta, M.1 aLate, Dattatray, J.1 aSinha, Sucharita1 aMore, Mahendra, A.  uhttps://library.ncl.res.in/content/facile-approach-towards-fabrication-gdb6-zno-heteroarchitecture-high-currentdensity-cold