na edge and the microwave plasma ball (or discharging sphere) is immobilized at the tip. The substrate distance, defined as the gap between the tip of the antenna edge and the substrate, can be adjusted in the range 0±80 mm by means of the up or down movement of a substrate holder. A two inchsized heater was used as the substrate holder. Its temperature was monitored by a thermocouple or an IR pyrometer. Each Si substrate was coated with a 0.5±5 nm catalytic film of Ni or Fe, by E-beam evaporation, and magnetron sputtering, respectively, without removing its native SiO 2 layer. Pure hydrogen and methane (over 99.9999 % pure) were used as reactant gases for the growth of CNFs. In each experimental run, the flow rates of hydrogen and methane were set as constants of 45 sccm and 5 sccm, respectively, while the chamber pressure, microwave power, and growth time were set at 20 torr, 60 W, and 3 min, respectively.