The growth of patterned carbon nanotube arrays on Si pillar arrays

Vertically aligned carbon nanotube (CNT) arrays were prepared using dc plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (DC-PECVD). For uniform growth of the vertically aligned CNTs in the patterned array, the conventional photolithography technique and oblique angle deposition technique were utilized. The pattern of the CNTs was defined by the silicon pillar configuration fabricated by the conventional photolithography. The characteristics of the vertically aligned CNTs were dependent on conditions of catalyst metals using the oblique angle deposition technique. Using the conventional photolithography and oblique angle deposition techniques, the well-defined and well-separated CNT pattern arrays were successfully grown. In order to improve the electrical properties of the grown CNTs, nitrogen (N) was doped using NH₃. This low-cost and simplified fabricating method would be an effective growth process for the CNT array which can be used in field emitter applications.