Simultaneous catalyst deposition and growth of aligned carbon nanotubes on SiO{sub 2}/Si substrates by radio frequency magnetron sputtering
- Istituto per la Microelettronica e Microsistemi-Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Stradale Primosole 50, I-95121 Catania (Italy)
Radio frequency magnetron sputtering has been used for the synthesis of aligned carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on a SiO{sub 2}/Si substrate, with simultaneous in situ catalyst deposition. This method allows the use of substrates without the need of a surface predeposition of catalytic particles. In particular, among the metals considered, we observed the formation of CNTs using W or Ni as catalysts. Only in the case of Ni did we find that the CNTs are aligned along the target-substrate direction, unlike the randomly oriented CNTs observed when W was used as catalyst. Scanning and transmission electron microscopies show that the catalytic Ni nanoparticle is found mostly on the tip of the obtained bamboolike CNTs, while W nanoparticles are encapsulated inside hollow nanotubes, at different points along their length. We ascribe not only the observed structural differences to the size of the W and Ni particles but also to a different diffusion behavior of C in the two kinds of metallic clusters.
- OSTI ID:
- 21064481
- Journal Information:
- Journal of Applied Physics, Journal Name: Journal of Applied Physics Journal Issue: 11 Vol. 102; ISSN JAPIAU; ISSN 0021-8979
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Order in vertically aligned carbon nanotube arrays
Nanoelectrode Arrays Based on Low Site Density Aligned Carbon Nanotubes