Apparatus and method for manufacturing carbon nanotubes

Abstract

An exemplary apparatus includes a reaction chamber having a gas inlet at a lower portion thereof configured for introducing a carbon source gas thereinto and a gas outlet at an upper portion thereof, the reaction chamber defining a carbon source gas flow route, a substrate holder arranged between the gas inlet and gas outlet in the reaction chamber, and at least one substrate having a number of through holes defined therein configured for facilitating the flowing of the carbon source gas therethrough and a catalyst layer formed on a surface thereof facing the gas inlet, the at least one substrate being positioned on the carbon source gas flow route by the substrate holder.

1 . An apparatus for manufacturing carbon nanotubes, comprising: 
 a reaction chamber having a gas inlet at a lower portion thereof configured for introducing a carbon source gas thereinto and a gas outlet at an upper portion thereof, the reaction chamber defining a carbon source gas flow route;    a substrate holder arranged between the gas inlet and gas outlet in the reaction chamber; and    at least one substrate having a plurality of through holes defined therein configured for facilitating the flowing of the carbon source gas therethrough and a catalyst layer formed on a surface thereof facing the gas inlet, the at least one substrate being positioned on the carbon source gas flow route by the substrate holder.    
     
     
         2 . The apparatus as described in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one substrate is oriented perpendicular to the carbon source gas flow route.  
     
     
         3 . The apparatus as described in  claim 1 , wherein a diameter of each of the through holes is in a range from 0.5 microns to 1 micron.  
     
     
         4 . The apparatus as described in  claim 1 , wherein the substrate holder comprises at least one post, and the at least one substrate defines at least one engaging hole, the at least one substrate is secured to the substrate holder by extension of the at least one post through the at least one engaging hole.  
     
     
         5 . The apparatus as described in  claim 1 , wherein the substrate holder defines a plurality of through holes aligned with respect to the through holes of the at least one substrate.  
     
     
         6 . A method for manufacturing carbon nanotubes, the method comprising the steps of: 
 (a) providing a substrate having a plurality of through holes defined therein and a catalyst layer formed on a first surface thereof;    (b) orienting and positioning the substrate in a manner such that the first surface of the substrate faces downwardly;    (c) supplying and directing a carbon source gas to flow vertically from the first surface to an opposite second surface of the substrate for growing carbon nanotubes thereon by a chemical vapor deposition method.    
     
     
         7 . The method as described in  claim 6 , wherein the carbon source gas is comprised of a material selected from the group consisting of methane, acetylene, ethylene, carbon monoxide and a mixture thereof.  
     
     
         8 . The method as described in  claim 6 , wherein the through holes of the substrate are defined by a photolithography method.  
     
     
         9 . The method as described in  claim 8 , wherein the through holes of the substrate are defined by a drilling method.  
     
     
         10 . The method as described in  claim 6 , wherein a diameter of each of the through holes is in a range from 0.5 microns to 1 micron.  
     
     
         11 . The method as described in  claim 6 , wherein the catalyst layer is formed by a method selected from the group consisting of ion plating, radio frequency magnetron sputtering, vacuum evaporation, and chemical vapor deposition.  
     
     
         12 . The method as described in  claim 6 , wherein the catalyst layer is comprised a material selected from the group consisting of iron, cobalt, nickel, and any appropriate combination alloy thereof.  
     
     
         13 . A method for manufacturing carbon nanotubes, comprising the steps of: 
 (a) providing a reaction chamber having a gas inlet and a gas outlet at a bottom and a top thereof respectively and a substrate holder arranged therein, and the substrate holder having at least one post;    (b) providing a plurality of substrates each having at least one engaging holes, a plurality of through holes defined therein and a catalyst layer formed on a surface thereof;    (c) placing the substrates on the substrate holder with the catalyst layer facing the gas inlet and the at least one post of the substrate holder extending through the at least one engaging holes of the substrates, the substrates being spaced apart from each other;    (d) supplying a carbon source gas into the reaction chamber through the gas inlet for growing carbon nanotubes by a chemical vapor deposition method.    
     
     
         14 . The method as described in  claim 13 , wherein the substrate holder defines a plurality of through holes aligned with respect to the through holes of the at least one substrate.  
     
     
         15 . The method as described in  claim 13 , wherein the carbon source gas is comprised of a material selected from the group consisting of methane, acetylene, ethylene, carbon monoxide and a mixture thereof.  
     
     
         16 . The method as described in  claim 13 , wherein the substrates are spaced from each other by a plurality of washers.  
     
     
         17 . The method as described in  claim 13 , wherein a diameter of each of the through holes is in the range from 0.5 microns to 1 micron.  
     
     
         18 . The method as described in  claim 13 , wherein the catalyst layer is formed by a method selected from the group consisting of ion plating, radio frequency magnetron sputtering, vacuum evaporation, and chemical vapor deposition.  
     
     
         19 . The method as described in  claim 13 , wherein the catalyst layer is comprised of a material selected from the group consisting of iron, cobalt, nickel, and any combination alloy thereof.