Control of sizes and densities of nano catalysts for nanotube synthesis by plasma breaking method

Sizes and densities of nano catalysts for carbon nanotube synthesis, formed by the plasma breaking method of thin Fe films deposited using pulse laser deposition (PLD) were controlled by the changes of operating parameters. At the best optimum condition, nano catalysts with a density of 1.9×1015 m−2 and a diameter of about 15 nm were obtained. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) synthesized on these catalysts were shown to have almost the same size and density as those of the catalysts.