We have investigated the formation of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) by the SiC surface decomposition method using transmission electron microscopy. When the SiC (000-1) surface was irradiated by Ar+ ions at 1 keV with a dose of 5×1015 cm−2 followed by annealing at 1700oC for 2 h, long CNTs were formed on the surface. In the case of SiC (0001) surface, on which graphene layers are obtained without Ar ion bombardment, CNTs were formed on the surface with Ar ion bombardment. These results indicate that a damage of the surface effects the CNT formation in the SiC surface decomposition method.
