Effects of a-C:Fe Catalyst Deposition Method on the Growth of Carbon Nanotubes

Carbon nanotubes were grown using RF magnetron sputtering or Filtered Cathodic Vacuum Arc (FCVA) deposited iron containing atmosphere carbon (a-C: Fe) films as catalyst, by Hot filament chemical vapor deposition (HFCVD). The chemical structure of the catalyst layers was studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and the morphology of the films was analyzed by scanning electron microscope (SEM). Randomly orientated carbon nanotubes film was found on sputtered a-C:Fe catalyst, while well-aligned carbon nanotubes were observed on FCVA deposited a-C:Fe catalyst. The diameters of the nanotubes grown on sputtered a-C:Fe follow to that of the annealed catalyst particles grain size. However, the diameters of the nanotubes from FCVA a-C: Fe were much smaller than the grain size of the catalyst particles they grown from