Size-selected Ni catalyst islands for single-walled carbon nanotube arrays

作者：Rider Amanda E^*; Levchenko Igor; Chan Kevin K F; Tam Eugene; Ostrikov Kostya

来源：Journal of Nanoparticle Research, 2008, 10: 249-254.

DOI：10.1007/s11051-008-9440-x

• Carbon nanotubes
• Catalytic growth
• Nanoislands
• Hybrid numerical simulation
• Self-assembly

Many properties of single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) arrays are determined by the size and surface coverage of the metal catalyst islands from which they are nucleated. Methods using thermal fragmentation of continuous metal films frequently fail to produce size-uniform islands. Hybrid numerical simulations are used to propose a new approach to controlled self-assembly of Ni islands of the required size and surface coverage using tailored gas-phase generated nanocluster fluxes and adjusted surface temperatures. It is shown that a maximum surface coverage of 0.359 by 0.96-1.02 nm Ni catalyst islands can be achieved at a low surface temperature of 500 K. Optimized growth of Ni catalyst islands can lead to fabrication of size-uniform SWCNT arrays, suitable for numerous nanoelectronic applications. This approach is deterministic and is applicable to a range of nanoassemblies where high surface coverage and island size uniformity are required.

• 出版日期2008