| Abstract
| - Discrete nickel catalyst nanoparticles (NP) have been used to grow isolated single-walled carbon nanotubesby chemical vapor deposition (CVD). Atomic force microscopy (AFM), transmission electron microscopy(TEM) and micro-Raman spectroscopy are used to characterize these as-grown, isolated nanotubes. Using aconventional setup, we are able to produce narrow diameter distribution single-walled carbon nanotubes(SWNTs) (1.45 ± 0.5 nm), showing a clear mismatch with the larger broad size distribution of the catalystnanoparticles (4.7 ± 1.5 nm). Investigation of the growth conditions allowed us to synthesize, starting withthe same catalyst materials, various carbon nanotube (CNT) samples with a wide range of characteristics.The advantages of such a versatile CVD method for the study of physical properties at the single nanotubelevel are illustrated by means of two prospective studies on SWNTs mechanical and vibrational properties.
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