It is the purpose of this study to evaluate the field emission property of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) prepared by microwave plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (MPCVD) method. Nickel layer of 5 nm in thickness oil 20-nrn thickness titanium nitride film was transformed into discrete islands after hydrogen plasma pretreatment. CNTs were then grown LIP Oil Ni-coated areas by MPCVD. Through the practice of Taguchi method, superior CNT films with very low emission onset electric field, about 0.7 V/mu m (at J = 10 mu A/cm(2)), are attained without post-deposition treatment. It is found that microwave power has the most important influence on the field emission characteristics of CNT films. The increase of methane flow ratio will downgrade the degree of graphitization of CNT and thus its field emission characteristics. Scanning electron microscope and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observation and energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer analysis reveal that CNT growth by MPCVD is based oil tip-growth mechanism. TEM micrographs validate the hollow, bamboo-like structure of the multi-walled CNTs. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.