Patent ID: 7635503

Claim:
A method for fabricating carbon nanotubes comprising: depositing a film comprising an active component and an inactive component wherein the active component is capable of catalyzing the formation of carbon nanotubes at a temperature of between about 300° C. to about 1200° C. in the presence of a carbon containing precursor and the inactive component is not capable of catalyzing the formation of carbon nanotubes at a temperature of between about 300° C. to about 1200° C. in the presence of a carbon containing precursor and wherein the amount of active component in the film is above the equilibrium solubility limit but below the alloy phase formation concentration for the active component in the inactive component at a temperature between about 300° C. to about 1200° C.; heating the film to a temperature of between about 300° C. to about 1200° C. to cause the active component to form at least one phase-separated surface-available catalytic site; and forming carbon nanotubes by chemical vapor deposition with a carbon-containing precursor.