Environmental transmission electron microscopy observations of the growth of carbon nanotubes under nanotube-nanotube and nanotube-substrate interactions

The growth process of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) under CNT-CNT and CNT-substrate interactions has been observed directly by environmental transmission electron microscopy. Even a free standing CNT occasionally swings during the growth until it touches the substrate. In addition, we show that the growth direction of CNTs changes due to the interaction between CNTs.