Carbon nanotubes in cathodi vacuum arc discharge

Multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were fabricated by a new cathodic vacuu m are method, in which the anode itself was the vacuum chamber and was iner t. The cathodic vacuum are discharge was performed at 0.5 Pa of He and H-2 gas atmospheres using a de are current of 100 A. The cathode materials were pure graphite and various metal-containing graphite electrodes. Microscopi c observation revealed that MWCNTs were produced at the cathode crater gene rated by the cathode spot and on the surface of macrodroplets emitted from the cathode spot. A diamond-like carbon film that embedded the macrodroplet s with MWCNTs was also deposited.