Synthesis of well-aligned carbon nanotubes by radio frequency plasma enhanced CVD method

Well-aligned carbon nanotubes (CNTs) synthesized by radio frequency plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (rf-PECVD) method have been studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Raman spectroscopy. We used Fe as catalyst and acetylene gas diluted in hydrogen gas as source gas to synthesize CNTs. Good crystallized CNT without carbon soot was obtained by covering the Si substrate with the metal plate at the substrate temperature of 600 degreesC or less. When the substrate was exposed to the direct plasma without the metal plate, however, the obtained CNT was poorly crystallized and carbon soot deposited on the tip of the CNT. In this paper, the role of the metal plate on the growth of CNT was discussed. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.