Growth of periodic arrays of carbon nanotubes using a pattern of nickel nanoparticles made via nanosphere lithography

Zs. Szekrényes, S. Aştilean, Al. Darabont

Faculty of Physics, Babeş-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania 

Periodic arrays of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have many potential applications in electronics and optics as nanometer scale antennas, optical filters, band-gap materials similar to photonic crystals or field-emission flat-panel displays. 
We present here our several studies about growth of periodic arrays of carbon nanotubes using the nanosphere litography technique on different substrate. Nickel nanoparticles were fabricated via nanosphere lithography and successfully employed in chemical vapor deposition chamber to catalyze the growth of large arrays of carbon nanotubes on solid substrate. Spatial organization and structure of as prepared carbon nanotubes were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy.