Single-walled carbon nanotubes produced by cw CO2-laser ablation:: study of parameters important for their formation

The production of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) using the cw CO2-laser ablation technique is reported. Different metals and metal concentrations in the carbon targets as well as different buffer gases and gas pressures have been used in order to study their influence on the formation of SWNTs. It is shown that the conditions near the evaporation zone, i.e. especially the local temperature environment induced by the laser radiation as well as the used metals play a key role in the formation process of SWNTs. Employing a very simple experimental setup the cw CO2-laser ablation technique easily provides the environment favorable for the growth of high quality SWNT material under a wide range of experimental conditions.