Very High Yield Growth of Vertically Aligned Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes by Point-Arc Microwave Plasma CVD

A very high yield, selective growth of dense, vertically aligned single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) has been demonstrated for the first time on Si substrates with a sandwich-like coating structure of Al2O3/Fe/Al2O3 at a low (600 °C) temperature by point-arc microwave plasma CVD. The SWNT film thickness increases continuously with the growth time, suggesting an almost unlimited life time for the catalyst. A film thickness of 420 μm, and production yield of SWNTs to catalyst of about 770 000 % can be achieved within 2 h.