The evolution of catalyst layer morphology and sub-surface growth of CNTs over the hot filament grown Fe–Cr thin films

In this study a hot filament chemical vapour deposition (HFCVD) technique was used to prepare Fe–Cr films on Si substrate as catalysts for thermal CVD (TCVD) growing of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) from liquid petroleum gas (LPG) at 800 °C. To characterize the catalysts or CNTs, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Raman spectroscopy were used. The XPS spectra obtained at different stages of Ar+ sputtering revealed that in the depth of catalyst layers, the relative Fe–Cr concentrations are higher than the top-surface. SEM images of samples after TCVD indicate a significant CNT growing at the backside of catalyst layer compared with its top which is accompanied with morphological changes on catalyst layer such as formation of cone-shape structures, rippling, cracking and rolling of the layer. These observations were attributed to the more catalytic activity of the sub-surface beside the poor activity of the top-surface as well as the presence of individual active islands over the surface of the catalyst thin film.