Cross-sectional transmission electron microscopic study on the initial stage growth of carbon nanotubes

The information about interface structure of carbon nanotubes/catalyst/substrate is investigated by cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy. At the initial stage growth of carbon nanotubes in chemical vapor deposition, driving force for the separation of graphite caps from catalytic metal results from stress energy due to the mismatch piled up at the edge side of the graphite cap.