One-dimensional self-assembly of metallic nanostructures on single-walled carbon-nanotube bundles

A self-assembly method was developed to form one-dimensional (1D) metallic nanostructures using single-walled Carbon nanotube (CNT) bundles with grooves between tubes as the growth template. Highly ordered single-walled CNT bundles, synthesized by laser ablation, were used as templates for the assembly of 1D metallic nanostructures. Deposition of metals including Au, Ag, and Cu resulted in the formation of 1D nanocluster arrays. It was observed that deposition of Ti, Zr, and Mo at room temperature led to fractal islands nucleating on the bundle surface at low coverage and a 2D wetting layer at higher coverages. It was also found that annealing the nanotube bundles in a low-pressure oxygen atmosphere before deposition is effective in removing the surface impurities.