The method of manufacturing carbon nanotubes and/or fullerenes reduces the pressure
inside a system to 1.3 Pa or lower, supplies a carboniferous liquid state material
to raise the pressure inside the system to at least 1.3 kPa to 93.3 kPa, generates
arc discharges, supplies the carboniferous liquid state material in discharge plasma
created by the arc discharges, and disintegrates or excites the carboniferous liquid
state material, thereby producing the carbon nanotubes and/or the fullerenes. And,
the manufacturing apparatus is equipped with at least a pair of electrodes that
generate arc discharges into a vacuum chamber to create discharge plasma, a gas
supply unit capable of supplying a carrier gas into the vacuum chamber, and a raw
material supply unit capable of supplying a carboniferous liquid state material
in the discharge plasma through an introduction tube. Thus, the invention provides
the manufacturing method and manufacturing apparatus that allow continuous production
of high purity carbon nanotubes and/or fullerenes with high production efficiency.
