Direction-controlled growth of carbon nanotubes

We have developed a method of directing or bending carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in the desired direction along a structure. The new method utilizes careful positioning of a catalyst with respect to the structure, so that the CNTs growing from the catalyst experience an effective van der Waals force from the structure. The force causes a CNT-bundle to grow in the desired direction. For instance, a CNT-bundle coming out of a hole can be bent to the right or left depending on the catalyst patterning at the bottom. This approach is promising for achieving three-dimensional CNT wiring for future electronic devices.