Effects of atomic hydrogen and active carbon species in 1 mm vertically aligned single-walled carbon nanotube growth

A hot filament chemical vapor deposition (HFCVD) method has been used to investigate the effects of atomic hydrogen and active carbon species on the growth of 1 mm vertically aligned single-walled carbon nanotubes (VA-SWNTs). Isotopic shifts of the tangential phonon mode of SWNTs indicate that SWNT growth occurs primarily via reactions of acetylene and ethylene. The authors find that the presence of atomic hydrogen and active carbon species such as ethylene and acetylene appears to be essential for both nucleation and growth of VA-SWNTs in this HFCVD. (c) 2006 American Institute of Physics.