The opportunity of creating and tailoring unprecedented and beautifully symmetric 3-D structures has propelled the science of carbon nanotubes to become one of the highly promising areas in the field of nanotechnology. The unique properties of carbon nanotubes have promoted research in the fabrication of devices composed of carbon nanotubes and in other applications. Characterisation tools are crucial in the study of these emerging materials to evaluate their full potential in applications and to comprehend their basic properties. The aim of this study was electron microscopy characterisation of the carbon nanotubes synthesised to fabricate display devices. Both thermal chemical vapour deposition (CVD) and plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition routes were used to synthesise patterned and aligned carbon nanotubes. Several batches of CNTs were produced by varying the process parameters such as growth temperature, gas ratio, duration of growth, catalyst condition, etc. Characterisation of these CNTs have been done using scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscope, high resolution transmission electron microscope, and electron energy loss spectrum. Structure, uniformity, chemistry, diameter, length, number of walls of the multi-walled nanotubes were characterised using various electron microscopes, which finally lead to the production of the display devices using CNTs.
Carbon nanotubes, HRTEM, electron energy loss spectrum, EELS, thermal chemical vapour deposition, plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition, PECVD
