Abstract: A method of fabricating a nanotube structure which includes providing a substrate, providing a mask region positioned on the substrate, patterning and etching through the mask region to form at least one trench, depositing a conductive material layer within the at least one trench, depositing a solvent based nanoparticle catalyst onto the conductive material layer within the at least one trench, removing the mask region and subsequent layers grown thereon using a lift-off process, and forming at least one nanotube electrically connected to the conductive material layer using chemical vapor deposition with a methane precursor.

Abstract: A field emission device and method of forming a field emission device are provided in accordance with the present invention. The field emission device is comprised of a substrate (12) having a deformation temperature that is less than about six hundred and fifty degrees Celsius and a nano-supported catalyst (22) formed on the substrate (12) that has active catalytic particles that are less than about five hundred nanometers. The field emission device is also comprised of a nanotube (24) that is catalytically formed in situ on the nano-supported catalyst (22), which has a diameter that is less than about twenty nanometers.