Continuous synthesis of aligned carbon nanotube arrays on copper substrates using laser-activated gas jet

A method has been developed for continuous synthesis of carbon nanotube (CNT) arrays on large-area metal substrates using a reactor that moves above the substrate surface with a given scan rate. The reagent vapors pass through the region of plasma laser discharge towards the substrate surface screened by an argon flow from the external atmosphere. Vertically aligned multi-walled CNTs (MWCNTs) are formed on copper as a result of decomposition of ethylene and the vapor of iron pentacarbonyl. The main parameters of laser plasma discharge, gas jets, and concentrations of feed compounds have been estimated in terms of their effect on the growth rate and MWCNT morphology. The measurements of MWCNTs/Cu field emission characteristics have been used to determine optimal synthesis parameters for the fabrication of effective field emission cathodes.