Electrical and Raman spectroscopic studies of vertically aligned multi-walled carbon nanotubes

J Nanosci Nanotechnol. 2009 Jul;9(7):4392-6. doi: 10.1166/jnn.2009.m66.

Abstract

Microwave plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition (MPECVD) was used for the production of carbon nanotubes. Vertically aligned multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were grown on silicon substrates coated with cobalt thin films of thickness ranging from 0.5 nm to 3 nm. Prior to the nanotube growth the catalyst were treated with N2 plasma for 5-10 minutes that break the films into small nanoparticles which favour the growth of nanotubes. The CNTs were grown at a substrate temperature of 700 degrees C for 5, 10 and 15 minutes. The height of the CNT films ranging from 10 microm-30 microm indicating that the initial growth rate of the CNTs are very high at a rate of approximately 100 nm/sec. Electrical resistivity of the above samples was evaluated from I-V measurements. The activation energy (E(a)) was also calculated from the temperature dependent studies and it was found that the E(a) lies in the range of 15-35 meV. Raman spectroscopy was used to identify the quality of the nanotubes.

MeSH terms

  • Crystallization / methods*
  • Electric Conductivity
  • Macromolecular Substances / chemistry
  • Materials Testing
  • Molecular Conformation
  • Nanotechnology / methods*
  • Nanotubes, Carbon / chemistry*
  • Nanotubes, Carbon / ultrastructure*
  • Particle Size
  • Spectrum Analysis, Raman / methods*
  • Surface Properties

Substances

  • Macromolecular Substances
  • Nanotubes, Carbon