Growth of highly oriented carbon nanotubes by plasma-enhanced hot filamentchemical vapor deposition

Highly oriented, multiwalled carbon nanotubes were grown on polished polycr ystalline and single crystal nickel substrates by plasma enhanced hot filam ent chemical vapor deposition at temperatures below 666 degrees C. The carb on nanotubes range from 10 to 500 nm in diameter and 0.1 to 50 mu m in leng th depending on growth conditions. Acetylene is used as the carbon source f or the growth of the carbon nanotubes and ammonia is used for dilution gas and catalysis. The plasma intensity, acetylene to ammonia gas ratio, and th eir flow rates, etc. affect the diameters and uniformity of the carbon nano tubes. (C) 1998 American Institute of Physics. [S0003-6951(98)01952-4].