What can lasers do in the nano-fabrication of carbon nanotube based devices?

Numerous applications based on CNTs have been conceived and developed at laboratory scale. However, only a handful of applications have been successfully implemented due to the difficulties in controlled growth, manipulation, and integration of CNTs. In spite of countless efforts having been devoted into this field, high-performance-on-demand solution packages are still absent. In this study, we investigated applications of lasers in the controlled growth and integration of CNTs, and developed laser-based strategies to achieve nano-fabrication of CNT-based devices. By making use of unique features of lasers, we achieved 1) parallel integration of CNTs into pre-designed micro/nano-architectures in a single-step laser-assisted chemical vapor deposition (LCVD) process, 2) selective removal of metallic CNTs in open air, 3) growing CNTs of controlled-alignments, and 4) diameter modulation in individual CNTs. The laser-based strategies developed in this study suggest a laser-based solution-package to meet the challenges for the nano-fabrication of CNT-based devices and promises a reliable and scalable approach to achieve CNT-integrated devices.