Effect of the Growth Temperature on the Diameter Distribution and Chirality of Single-Wall Carbon Nanotubes

Shunji Bandow; S. Asaka; Y. Saito; A. M. Rao; L. Grigorian; E. Richter; P. C. Eklund

doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.80.3779

Effect of the Growth Temperature on the Diameter Distribution and Chirality of Single-Wall Carbon Nanotubes

Shunji Bandow, S. Asaka, Y. Saito, A. M. Rao, L. Grigorian, E. Richter, and P. C. Eklund

Phys. Rev. Lett. 80, 3779 – Published 27 April 1998

Abstract

Pulsed laser vaporization of a heated, Fe/Ni or Co/Ni catalyzed, carbon target in argon gas has been used to synthesize single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs). Electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction, and Raman spectroscopy were all used to study the effect of the catalyst on the tube yield, and the evolution of the tube diameter distribution with increasing growth environment temperature $T$ . By controlling the temperature in the range $780 < T < 1050 ° C$ , we have been able to tune the diameter of the tubules from $\sim 0.81$ to $\sim 1.51 nm$ . The threshold temperature for significant SWNT production was found to be $\sim 850 ° C$ .

Received 18 November 1997

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.80.3779

Authors & Affiliations

Shunji Bandow^1,* and S. Asaka²

¹Research Center for Molecular Materials, Institute for Molecular Science, Myodaiji, Okazaki 444, Japan
²Equipment Development Center, Institute for Molecular Science, Myodaiji, Okazaki 444, Japan

Y. Saito

Department of Electrical and Electric Engineering, Mi′e University, Tsu, Mi′e 514, Japan

A. M. Rao^1,2, L. Grigorian¹, E. Richter¹, and P. C. Eklund^1,2,†

¹Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40506-0055
²Center for Applied Energy Research, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40506-0055