Apparatus for making carbon nanotube structure with catalyst island

Abstract

Carbon nanotube growth is achieved in a high-yield process. According to an example embodiment of the present invention, a furnace chamber is adapted to grow a carbon nanotube device via catalyst islands. The carbon nanotube device includes a catalyst island, such as Fe 2 O 3 , and a carbon nanotube extending therefrom. In one more specific implementation, the catalyst island is disposed on a top surface of a substrate. The carbon nanotube device is useful in a variety of implementations and applications, such as in an atomic force microscope (AFM), in resonators (e.g., where a free end of the carbon nanotube is adapted to vibrate) and in electronic circuits (e.g., where the carbon nanotube is electrically coupled between two nodes, such as between the catalyst island and a circuit node). In addition, growing carbon nanotubes with such a catalyst island is particularly useful in the high-yield growth of a large number of nanotubes.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A system for manufacturing a carbon nanotube device, comprising: 
 first chamber means for forming at least one island of catalyst material; and    second chamber means for contacting the catalyst island with a carbon-containing gas and forming a carbon nanotube extending from the catalyst island.    
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the second chamber means is adapted to create conditions suitable for reacting the carbon-containing gas with the catalyst island for growing the carbon nanotube.  
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the second chamber means comprises: 
 a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) apparatus configured and arranged for growing single wall carbon nanotubes.    
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the CVD apparatus is configured and arranged to introduce carbon feedstock gas for growing carbon nanotubes in the second chamber means.  
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the CVD apparatus is configured and arranged to introduce the carbon feedstock gas to a catalyst for growing carbon nanotubes in the second chamber means.  
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the second chamber means is configured and arranged to grow carbon nanotubes from a catalyst island on a substrate in the chamber.  
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the second chamber means is further configured and arranged to grow a carbon nanotube extending between the catalyst island and a circuit node.  
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the second chamber means is further configured and arranged to grow a circuit including a carbon nanotube extending between two circuit nodes and adapted for conducting electricity between the two circuit nodes.  
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the second chamber means is further configured and arranged to grow a carbon nanotube extending from a cantilever tip.  
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the second chamber means is further configured and arranged for holding a wafer including a multitude of cantilever tips and to grow carbon nanotubes extending from a plurality of the multitude of cantilever tips.  
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the second chamber means is further configured and arranged to grow a carbon nanotube extending between two catalyst islands.  
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the second chamber means is further configured and arranged to grow a carbon nanotube from a catalyst island including an alumina-supported iron catalyst.  
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the second chamber means is further configured and arranged to grow a plurality of carbon nanotubes extending from catalyst islands patterned on a substrate.  
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein a gas supply is configured and arranged for introducing the carbon feedstock gas to the second chamber means.  
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the gas supply is configured and arranged for introducing a carbon feedstock gas including Methane to the second chamber means to grow the carbon nanotube.  
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the second chamber means is configured and arranged to grow the carbon nanotube from catalyst particles lithographically patterned on a substrate.  
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the carbon nanotube is grown at a temperature of less than about 1000 degrees Celsius.  
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the carbon nanotube is grown at a temperature of between about 850 and 100 degrees Celsius.  
     
     
         19 . A system for manufacturing a carbon nanotube device, the system comprising: 
 a chamber apparatus adapted to provide internal heat at at least one controlled level; and    a gas supply configured and arranged with the chamber apparatus for contacting a catalyst island in the chamber with a carbon-containing gas and forming, under said at least one controlled level of heat, a carbon nanotube extending from the catalyst island.    
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the gas supply and the chamber apparatus are adapted to contact the carbon-containing gas to the catalyst island for a period of time sufficient to form carbon nanotubes.  
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the chamber apparatus is further adapted for heating the catalyst island.  
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the gas supply is configured and arranged for contacting the catalyst island with a carbon containing gas that has been reacted using a catalyst.  
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the chamber apparatus is configured and arranged to heat a substrate to decompose a catalyst material to form the catalyst island.  
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the chamber apparatus is configured and arranged to heat the substrate while introducing a carbon feedstock gas to the catalyst material and growing an aligned carbon nanotube extending from the catalyst material and across the trench.