Growth and characterization of magnetic nanostructures on carbon nanotube templates

Abstract

We describe the growth of magnetic nanostructures on carbon nanotube templates. The nanotubes were grown by microwave plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition. The as grown nanotubes were aligned reasonably well around the substrate normal directions. Although the nanotubes were quite straight, there were still some bent and tilt as revealed by the scanning electron microscope observations. Magnetic field has been used to re-align or re-assemble the nanotubes before they were used as the templates to grow magnetic nanostructures. Depending on whether there is a magnetic particle on the top tip of each nanotube and the density of the nanotubes, there are two different consequences of applying a magnetic field to the nanotubes. For nanotubes with magnetic particles attached to their top tips, the post-growth treatment by the magnetic field resulted in re-assembly of the nanotubes into micro-umbrella type of structures. For those without magnetic particles, however, the effect of magnetic field treatment is negligible; but after the deposition of thin magnetic layers, the field treatment made the nanotubes much straighter than what they originally were and aligned almost vertically to the substrates. The re-aligned or re-assembled nanotubes were used as the templates to grow magnetic nanostructures. It was found that most of the magnetic nanostructures exhibited characteristics similar to those of magnetic nanowires.