Surface modification by electric discharge implemented with electrodes composed of carbon nanotubes

In this work the electric discharge machining (EDM) implementing with multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) as a miniscule electrode for pursuing precise surface modification was studied. The excellent upright growth of carbon nanotubes on copper based alloy substrates by a radio frequency (RF) assisted hot filament chemical vapor deposition (HFCVD) method suggests us to exploit MWCNTs as the miniature electrodes for discharge machining. The results reveal that the electrodes are much endurable to be distorted even when the spoiling rates for the polishing of n-type Si wafer (of 10 to approximately 100 omega-cm) are up to 30 nm/min with. It is expected that MWCNTs can be applied to non-conventional material processing especially in miniature discharge machining.