Growth of Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes by Plasma CVD

Abstract

Recent research in plasma chemical vapor deposition (CVD) for single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) growth has achieved low-temperature synthesis, individually freestanding formation, and structure control of diameter, chirality, and length. Detailed growth kinetics of SWNTs are revealed using a combination of techniques for plasma control and nanomaterial analysis. Plasma CVD also allows tube metallicity to be controlled by tuning the mean diameter of SWNTs. This plasma CVD progress contributes to the next stage of nanotube fabrication, which is required for practical use of SWNTs in a variety of applications.