| Abstract
| - In this Article, we describe a carbon nanotube formation model in which sp2 carbon hemispheres form theembryonic caps from which a nanotube can grow. This requirement leads to a single wall carbon nanotubeformation window concomitant with our systematic experimental findings, which show upper and lowerdiameter limits. Further, the successful formation of a nucleation cap (hemisphere) is governed by catalystparticle volume to surface area considerations. Single wall carbon nanotubes are only obtained when both thenanotube formation window and the precipitating catalyst size distribution cross over. The extent to whichthese two windows overlap establishes the mean diameter and diameter distribution of the obtained singlewall carbon nanotubes.
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