New aspects on pulsed laser deposition of aligned carbon nanotubes

Abstract

We have grown carbon nanotubes (CNT) by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) at 1000 °C in Ar atmosphere. A Nd/YAG laser was used for irradiation of a graphite target containing Ni and Co rods. High-resolution scanning electron microscopy (HRSEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images showed that “closed” carbon nanotubes were grown between clusters of metallic particles, so that the individual nanotubes were arranged in parallel to each other forming a shape of “Rope-Bridge”. The nanotubes structure was analyzed by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and their type was found to be of MWNT, containing about five SWNT. Total diameter was 5–20 nm and their length was about 1 μm. High homogeneous distribution carbon nanotubes were grown and different structures were observed such as well-aligned carbon nanotubes, bamboo-like and Y-junction carbon nanotubes.