Growth of aligned carbon nanotubes on self-similar macroscopic templates

We demonstrate a two-step chemical vapor deposition process to obtain carbon nanotube (CNT) networks using aligned nanotube films themselves as growth templates. Track patterns of exposed silica created in CNT films grown in the first step serve as macroscopic templates for growing CNT stripes in the second step. The nanotubes in both the template and the stripes are vertically aligned. The CNT templates can be selectively removed while retaining the network of CNT stripes grown among them in the predefined patterns. Two-step processes such as described here will be of interest for creating multilayered CNT architectures through pattern transfer and growth sequences. (C) 2002 American Institute of Physics.