Laser, buffer layer and CoCrPtOx-assisted low temperature fabrication process of a small-sized-CNT pattern by MPCVD

For improving compatibility with IC processes, this work presents a low temperature process (< 400 °C) to fabricate a small-sized-carbon nanotube (CNT) (< 6 graphene layers) pattern by buffer layer (AlN) and CoCrPtOx catalyst precursor-assisted microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition (MPCVD). Without high temperature heating on the whole specimen, the low temperature process mainly results from selective local activation laser heating (≧ 600 °C) to form the catalyst nanostructures, which are beneficial to low temperature H-plasma treatment to form catalyst nanoparticles for CNT growth. The functions of the buffer layer and the catalyst precursor are to help the heat dissipation and the small-sized CNT formation.