The invention discloses a method for inducing directional arrangement of carbon nanotubes, a
carbon nanotube array and application. The method for inducing the directional arrangement of the carbon nanotubes comprises the following steps: depositing the carbon nanotubes on the surface of a
metal substrate to form a combined body, wherein at least the part, used for being in contact with the carbon nanotubes, of the
metal substrate consists of polycrystalline
metal; and carrying out high-temperature annealing treatment on the
assembly, so that the polycrystalline metal is subjected to
grain boundary migration to be converted into single-
crystal metal, and promoting the carbon nanotubes to be directionally arranged along the extension direction of a step formed by a high-index
crystal face of the single-
crystal metal. According to the method, the carbon nanotubes are deposited on the surface of the
metal substrate, high-temperature annealing treatment is carried out, the
grain boundary migration phenomenon of the
metal substrate during high-temperature annealing treatment is used as driving force for inducing directional arrangement of the carbon nanotubes, and directional arrangement of the carbon nanotubes is caused by the step characteristic of the surface of the high-index single-crystal
metal substrate; the structure of the
semiconductor type
carbon nanotube is not damaged in the high-temperature annealing process, operation is easy and convenient, the preparation process is fast, and the yield is high.