Ordered carbon nanotube growth and optical reflectance in porous anodic alumina templates

Despite the myriad studies of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in previous research, measurements of their optical reflectance have seldom been studied, and their possible future applications could benefit from elucidation of their specular and diffuse reflectance. In this work, CNTs were grown in an ordered porous anodic alumina template, and reflectance measurements were made. The measurements of porous anodic alumina compare moderately well with theory. The effect of bias voltage during CNT growth on reflectance data was investigated, as was the effect of different facets of the microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition process on reflectance. CNT growth decreased spectral reflectance by as much as 50%, and the CNTs were found to be at several wavelengths 98% absorbent