One-step grown suspended single walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTS) by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition

Abstract

Communication oraleInternational audienceSuspended single-walled carbon nanotubes were grown only on predefined place of three dimensional structures for future nanotechnology applications . We demonstrated the in situ one-step growth of SWNTs by an electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) CVD method at low temperature (650°C) and low ethylene pressure ( 2x10-3 mbar)[1]. Catalytic Fe or Fe2O3 nanoparticles were directly deposited on Si pillars using a reactive sputtering ECR plasma. SWNTs were originally grown from catalysts on top of the pillars and finished on another silicon pillar or TiN electrode (Fig. 1). Raman scattering in a confocal microscopy setup has been used to measure the RBMs of SWNTs (Fig.2) therefore allowing the diameter distribution identification. We found that very narrow tubes (d<0.8nm) represent a significant amount of the suspended nanotubes. The G and D bands were also observed leading information on respectively, the metallic or semi-conducting nature of the individual nanotubes and their excellent crystallographic quality. Photo-luminescence microscopy will be used to identify individual SWNTs and to determine their chiral indices and study the excitonic diffusion dynamics in this very specific as grown suspended geometry. References [1] M. Delaunay, A. Senillou and M.N. Semeria, U.S. Patent n° US 7,160,585 B2-Jan. 9,200