The use of a stable glow discharge for the synthesis of carbon nanotubes is reported. Bundles of buckytubes are synthesized with remarkably large diameters (up to 200 &mgr;m). The bundles are evenly spaced, parallel, and occupy the entire central region of the deposited rod. High resolution electron microscopy (HREM) images of the deposited rod produced by the glow discharge revealed higher yield and improved quality buckytubes as compared to those produced by an arc discharge. The behavior of the two deposition modes (glow and arc) has been compared and their effects on the formation of buckytubes are discussed. ©1995 American Institute of Physics.