Thermal interface material having a patterned carbon nanotube array and method for making the same

A method for making a thermal interface material comprising:

• (a) fabricating a substrate comprising a plurality of carbon nanotube arrays arranged thereon, wherein each of the carbon nanotube arrays comprises a plurality of carbon nanotubes extending from the substrate, each of a plurality of first interspaces is defined between two adjacent carbon nanotube arrays, and each of a plurality of second interspaces is defined between two adjacent carbon nanotubes of the carbon nanotube array;
• (b) providing a container and disposing the substrate with the carbon nanotube arrays into the container;
• (c) providing a plurality of low melting point metallic nanoparticles and filling the low melting point metallic nanoparticles in the carbon nanotube arrays, wherein the low melting point metallic nanoparticles are filled in the first interspaces of the carbon nanotube arrays, and wherein the low melting point metallic nanoparticles are level with a top end of each of the carbon nanotube arrays;
• (d) heating the low melting point metallic nanoparticles into a liquid state, and combining the low melting point metallic nanoparticles in the liquid state with the carbon nanotube arrays to form a composite material on the substrate;
• and
• (e) peeling off the composite material from the substrate and obtaining a thermal interface material.