Insulator-Coated Carbon Nanotubes Synthesized by Pulsed Laser Deposition

Abstract

We present a method for synthesizing insulator-coated carbon nanotubes by pulsed laser deposition. Isolated multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) were coated with an SiOx thin layer in a multishell form. The product showed that a stoichiometric SiO2 thin layer was uniformly wrapped around a MWNT, and reflected the shape of the MWNT. The thickness of the SiO2 thin layer was precisely controlled in the range from 2 to 28 nm. The insulating property of the product was verified using a template of vertically oriented carbon nanotubes.