Fabrication of horizontally aligned ultra-long single-walled carbon nanotubes on Si substrates using the fast-heating chemical vapor deposition method

Ba Thang Nguyen, Xuan Tinh Than, Van Chuc Nguyen, Thi Thanh Tam Ngo, Hung Thang Bui, Xuan Nghia Nguyen, Hong Khoi Phan and Ngoc Minh Phan

Abstract

In this paper we study the growth of horizontally aligned ultra-long single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) (5 mm) on oxidized silicon substrates by the fast-heating chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method. Ferric chloride (FeCl₃) and ethanol (C₂H₅OH) solution are used as catalyst and carbon source, respectively. The influence of growth conditions such as temperature, time and gas flow rates on the SWCNTs' growth is studied in detail. The morphologies and structure of the SWCNTs are analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Raman spectroscopy. The experimental results demonstrate that by fast-heating CVD of ethanol at a temperature of 900 °C for 60 min, the SWCNTs have high quality. They are clean, ultra-long (mm), highly dense and as straight as parallel lines