Comparative study of the influence of the solvent on the catalytic growth of carbon nanotubes

The catalytic growth by chemical vapor deposition is a well-established route to single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs). In this process, the choice and preparation of the metal catalyst determines the nanotube growth. The system Fe/Mo is known to yield a large percentage of SWNTs. In order to make use of SWNTs in electronic or electromechanical devices, the patterned growth relies on lithography techniques like photolithography or electron beam lithography. Many standard lithographic processes, i.e. the combination of photoresist and lift-off procedure, are not compatible with Fe/Mo catalyst solutions, resulting in low SWNT yield. We present a systematic study of the influence of the catalyst solvent on the patterned SWNT growth. Most remarkably, the use of water as a solvent is the basis for integrating SWNT with the established processing techniques due to its compatibility with any lithographic process and the simultaneous high SWNT yield.