Provided is a method for growing carbon nanotubes that enables the growth of high-density carbon nanotubes. A high frequency bias voltage is applied to a loading table on which a wafer W having a catalytic metal layer is mounted to generate a bias potential on the surface of the wafer W, and oxygen plasma is used to micronize the catalytic metal layer to form catalytic metal particles. Thereafter, hydrogen plasma is used to reduce the surface of the catalytic metal particles to form activated catalytic metal particles having an activated surface. By using each activated catalytic metal particles as a nucleus, carbon nanotubes are formed.