US Patent 7276285 - HfN substrate for CNT growth

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7276285.html

Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) is a popular technique used to mass produce arrays of carbon nanotubes. However, it can be difficult to integrate the fabrication of the nanotubes with fabrication of electrical wiring used to form a useful device from the nanotubes. This patent from Honeywell International teaches a hafnium nitride based substrate which facilitates the fabrication of both the nanotube arrays and the conductive wiring in a common substrate. Claim 1 reads:

1. A structure comprising: a substrate; an oxide layer on the substrate; an HfN layer on the oxide layer; a passivation layer on the HfN layer, having at least one via through the passivation layer to the HfN; and a catalyst island formed on the at least one via connected to the HfN layer, wherein the catalyst island is formed by exposing catalytic material to a temperature sufficient to form a ball having a diameter and a thickness, wherein the diameter is similar to the thickness.