Single-wall carbon nanotubes formed by a single laser-beam pulse

Experiments on single-wall carbon-nanotube (SWNT) formation by laser ablation were performed using a target composed of C, Ni, and Co. The pulse-to-pulse time (p–p) intervals of Nd:YAG laser beams were varied between 0.1 and 120 s. Since SWNTs were formed at all p–p intervals, we concluded that a single laser-beam pulse could form SWNTs. The amount of spider-web-like deposits containing SWNTs decreased as the p–p interval became longer. The structures of the SWNTs and of the non-SWNT carbon deposits had little dependence on the p–p interval.