Researchers observe, control, and optimize the growth of individual carbon nanotubes
Thursday, November 1, 2012 - 05:30
in Physics & Chemistry
(Phys.org)—Researchers from the NIST Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology and Arizona State University have used an environmental scanning transmission electron microscope (ESTEM) to control the size and placement of iron nanoparticles in order to catalyze the growth of carbon nanotubes on a silicon oxide substrate. Large scale synthesis of carbon nanotubes for low-cost field emission displays (FEDs) requires stringent control on nanotube length, diameter, and surface density.