Nitin Kumar, Chemical Engineering Department, Pennsylvania State University, Fenske Building, University Park, PA 16802, Omkar Parajuli, Department of Chemistry, Pennsylvania State University, Fenske Building, University Park, PA 16802, and Jong-In Hahm, Department of Chemical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, Fenske Building, University Park, PA 16802.
This talk describes both a growth method for self-aligning copper silicide (Cu3Si) nanobeams and their use as active catalysts for carbon nanotube (CNT) synthesis via chemical vapor deposition. In the unique geometry of these useful structures, CNT cantilevers are anchored firmly to the Cu3Si nanobeams. The resulting CNT-Cu3Si structures may improve accuracy and reliability of CNT applications in nanoelectromechanical systems. The advantage of our approach lies in the synergy between controlled nanoscale self-assembly and effective integration of CNT cantilevers with Cu3Si nanobeams.