Fabrication of ultralong and electrically uniform single-walled carbon nanotubes on clean substrates.
We report the controlled growth of ultralong single-wall carbon nanotube (SWNT) arrays using an improved chemical vapor deposition strategy. Using ethanol or methane as the feed gas, monodispersed Fe-Mo as the catalyst, and a superaligned carbon nanotube (CNT) film as the catalyst supporting frame, ultralong CNTs over 18.5 cm long were grown on Si substrates. The growth rate of the CNTs was more than 40 mum/s. No catalyst-related residual material was found on the substrates due to the use of a CNT film as the catalyst supporting frame, facilitating any subsequent fabrication of SWNT-based devices. Electrical transport measurements indicated that the electrical characteristics along a single ultralong SWNT were uniform. We also found that maintaining a spatially homogeneous temperature during the growth process was a critical factor for obtaining constant electrical characteristics along the length of the ultralong SWNTs.
Wang
Xueshen
X
Department of Physics and Tsinghua-Foxconn Nanotechnology Research Center, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, People's Republic of China.
Li
Qunqing
Q
Xie
Jing
J
Jin
Zhong
Z
Wang
Jinyong
J
Li
Yan
Y
Jiang
Kaili
K
Fan
Shoushan
S
D002384:Catalysis; D000431:Ethanol / Q000737:chemistry*; D007501:Iron / Q000737:chemistry*; D008422:Materials Testing; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry; D008697:Methane / Q000737:chemistry*; D008982:Molybdenum / Q000737:chemistry*; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon / Q000737:chemistry*; D010316:Particle Size; D013499:Surface Properties; D013696:Temperature
D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon; D000431:Ethanol; D008982:Molybdenum; D007501:Iron; D008697:Methane