The carbon nanotube-liquid-crystal (CNT-LC) nanophotonic device is a class of device based on the hybrid combination of a sparse array of multiwall carbon nanotube electrodes grown on a silicon surface in a liquid-crystal cell. The multiwall carbon nanotubes act as individual electrode sites that spawn an electric-field profile, dictating the refractive index profile within the liquid crystal a...

The field emission of individual multiwall carbon nanotubes grown by chemical vapor deposition was measured in a scanning electron microscope. By using a sharp anode, we were able to select one nanotube for measurements in carefully controlled conditions. Single nanotubes follow the Fowler-Nordheim law, and the dependence of the field enhancement with interelectrode distance and nanotube radius...

We report that nanoparticulate zirconia (ZrO(2)) catalyzes both growth of single-wall and multiwall carbon nanotubes (CNTs) by thermal chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and graphitization of solid amorphous carbon. We observe that silica-, silicon nitride-, and alumina-supported zirconia on silicon nucleates single- and multiwall carbon nanotubes upon exposure to hydrocarbons at moderate temperat...

Uniform dispersion of pre-synthesized nanotubes in metal matrices is difficult to achieve, and there is substantial damage to the nanotubes during subsequent composite fabrication. The demonstration of an in-situ process involving chemical vapor deposition of single-wall and multi-wall carbon nanotubes into iron matrices without the concomitant formation of iron carbides is reported here. It wa...

One of the most common methods of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) synthesis is application of an electric-arc plasma. However, the final product in the form of cathode deposit is composed of carbon nanotubes and a variety of carbon impurities. An assay of carbon nanotubes produced in arc discharge systems available on the market shows that commercial cathode deposits contain about 10% CNTs. Given that ...

The dielectric permittivity and losses of composites containing silicon rubber and multiwall carbon nanotubes decorated with gold were measured on wide temperature and frequency ranges. The permittivity decreases with increasing temperatures, increases with increasing nanotube mass concentration, and has weak frequency dependence. The losses depend non-uniformly on temperature and frequency.