Position-selective growth of carbon nanotubes on Ni catalysts/Mo underlayers by thermal chemical vapor deposition

Abstract

Position-selective growth of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and vertically aligned CNTs (VACNTs) on patterned metal were prepared using thermal chemical vapor deposition (TCVD) and direct current (DC) plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition. We propose a new position-controlling method of CNTs by controlling not only the position of Ni as a catalyst, but also the morphology of Mo as an underlayer for the catalysts. Selective growth of CNTs was achieved at the edges of the patterned metal using TCVD. The minimum width of selectively grown CNTs, approximately 2.6 μm, was approximately one-eightieth that of the patterned metal, 200 μm. The VACNTs were synthesized using the PECVD method, but the VACNTs grew throughout the patterned metal. A position-controlled method of CNT growth was demonstrated in optimum conditions of the TCVD.