Growth of high-quality single-walled carbon nanotubes through the thermal chemical vapor deposition using co-sputtering Fe–Mo films as catalysts

Synthesis of high-quality and high purity single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) on the Fe–Mo catalysts in the thermal chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process was performed. The catalysts were prepared by the co-sputtering and the multilayer pre-coating methods. Acetylene was adopted as the carbon precursor, and Fe and Mo were used as the raw materials of catalyst. Fe and Mo were co-sputtered or sputtered separately onto an Al layer, which was pre-coated onto a SiO2 substrate. After heat treatment, Fe–Mo catalytic particles with nano-size were formed on the substrate for growing SWNTs. The diameter distribution and microstructure of the SWNTs synthesized using these methods were investigated. Morphologies of the synthesized SWNTs were examined by field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) and the microstructure was studied using Raman scattering spectrometer and high resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM). Peaks of the radial breathing mode (RBM) in the Raman spectrum demonstrate that highly pure SWNTs had been synthesized when the co-sputtered Fe–Mo catalysts were used.