PECVD-grown carbon nanotubes on silicon substrates with a nickel-seeded tip-growth structure

Vertically aligned carbon nanotubes were grown on silicon substrates by DC-PECVD using nickel as the catalyst particle and a mixture of acetylene and hydrogen as the feed gases. It was observed that larger nickel particles resulted in larger diameter nanotubes whereas lower plasma power densities increased the spatial density of the nanotubes. The carbon nanotubes were characterized by scanning and transmission-electron microscopies and the growth mode was found to be tip initiated. The external diameter of the tubes ranged between 50 nm and 100 nm depending on the growth conditions and the diameter of the internal pore of the tube varied between about 5 nm and 8 nm. Selected area electron diffraction patterns taken from the nickel catalyst particle located at the tip of the tube suggest that (011) lattice planes may be the catalytically active sites on the top surface of the nickel.