The strong binding between graphene and Ru(0001) yields a low work function and a single in-plane azimuthal orientation, which in turn gives uniform emission. Together with graphene’s inertness, these properties give graphene/Ru(0001) technological potential as a large-area emitter.
Thermionic emission from monolayer graphene grown on representative transition metals, Ir and Ru, is characterized by low-energy electron microscopy (LEEM). Work functions were determined from the temperature dependence of the emission current and from the electron energy spectrum of emitted electrons. The high-temperature work function of the strongly interacting system graphene/Ru(0001) is sufficiently low, 3.3 \pm 0.1 eV, to have technological potential for large-area emitters that are spatially uniform, efficient, and chemically inert. The thermionic work functions of the less strongly interacting system graphene/Ir(111) are over 1 eV larger and vary substantially (0.4 eV) between graphene orientations rotated by 30{\deg}.
http://arxiv.org/abs/1204.5260
