Growth of Homogeneous High-Density Horizontal SWNT Arrays on Sapphire through a Magnesium-Assisted Catalyst Anchoring Strategy

Abstract

In-situ growth of high-density single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) arrays with homogeneity is highly desirable for integrated circuits. However, disastrous migration and aggregation of catalyst nanoparticles on substrate has greatly limited the area of as-grown SWNT arrays. Herein, we develop a magnesium-assisted catalyst anchoring strategy to restrain catalyst nanoparticles sintering on substrate. Magnesium modification ameliorates sapphire surface by high temperature solid reaction and thus provides a stronger metal-support interaction (SMSI). Hereby, we realize the direct growth of high-density SWNT arrays that fully cover an entire 10×10 mm² substrate with the local highest density of ≈110 tubes μm^-1 using iron as catalyst. This strategy was also proven universal when employing solid carbide catalysts.

Keywords: high-density; homogeneous; magnesium-modification; sapphire; single-walled carbon nanotube arrays.