Tilted view of Carbon Nanotubes
The Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapour Deposition (PECVD) process has been employed for the growth of carbon nanotubes, in addition to techniques such as laser ablation, arc discharge and Chemical Vapour Deposition (CVD). PECVD tools provide more flexibility and control compared to a general CVD setup.
Oxford Instruments has launched the Nanofab700 system for the growth of carbon nanotubes. In order to increase the temperature range and control on the ramping rate of temperature, a new system, Nanofab800Agile, used for the growth of nanostructured materials has been developed. In this system, the ramp rate can be higher than 40°C /min, and therefore decreases the overall process time. The system also has a loadlock that can provide a separate space for the sample to cool down
without affecting the oncoming process runs in the process chamber.
Similar to Oxford Instruments Nanofab700 system, the Oxford Instruments Nanofab800Agile system has been designed specifically to provide control on the process conditions, such as the alignment of carbon nanotubes. Both the catalyst treatment and process can be performed in one process chamber, but the process and cleaning conditions vary between the systems, Nanofab700 and Nanofab800.With the catalyst of 5nm Co on Si substrate, the aligned carbon nanotubes can be grown. Nanotubes do not entangle together, as occurs in the samples grown by the thermal CVD process; The image above shows the tilted view of carbon nanotubes, in which tips of carbon nanotubes are visible and carbon nanotubes are aligned!