We describe a simple technique to grow small (approximately 1-4 nm) diam carbon nanotubes both in and out of the plane of a silicon substrate using the decomposition of ethylene and a nickel-iron thin film catalyst. This procedure can be used to produce nanotubes for ultrasharp atomic force microscope probes as well as for nanotube-based electronic devices. The technique is compatible with the patterned growth of nanotubes and with standard device microfabrication processes. (C) 2002 American Institute of Physics. References: 14
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