Few Graphene layer/Carbon-Nanotube composite Grown at CMOS-compatible Temperature

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates a CMOS-compatible method to grow a composite of few-layer graphene on vertically aligned carbon nanotubes, revealing an unconventional epitaxial growth mode that is catalyst- and precursor-independent.

Contribution

It introduces a new growth process for graphene-nanotube composites compatible with standard CMOS fabrication temperatures.

Findings

Epitaxial growth of graphene on carbon nanotubes confirmed.

Growth is achievable with various catalysts and precursors.

Process is compatible with CMOS manufacturing temperatures.

Abstract

We investigate the growth of the recently demonstrated composite material composed of vertically aligned carbon nanotubes capped by few graphene layers. We show that the carbon nanotubes grow epitaxially under the few graphene layers. By using a catalyst and gaseous carbon precursor different from those used originally we establish that such unconventional growth mode is not specific to a precise choice of catalyst-precursor couple. Furthermore, the composite can be grown using catalyst and temperatures compatible with CMOS processing (T < 450\degree C).