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Simultaneous Synthesis of Single-walled Carbon Nanotubes and Graphene in a Magnetically-enhanced Arc Plasma
Published on: February 2, 2012
Copper-capped carbon nanocones on silicon: plasma-enabled growth control
Shailesh Kumar1, Igor Levchenko, David Farrant
1Plasma Nanoscience Centre Australia-PNCA, CSIRO Materials Science and Engineering, P.O. Box 218, Lindfield, NSW 2070, Australia.
ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces
|October 16, 2012
Summary
Vertically aligned carbon nanocone arrays were grown using plasma. Process parameters control nanocone structure and optical properties, showing potential for optical devices.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Plasma Physics
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Vertically aligned carbon nanostructures are crucial for advanced applications.
- Controlled synthesis of complex nanostructures remains a challenge.
- Plasma-based methods offer tunable parameters for material growth.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the controlled self-organized growth of vertically aligned carbon nanocone arrays.
- To understand the influence of process parameters on nanocone morphology and density.
- To evaluate the optical properties and potential applications of the synthesized nanocone arrays.
Main Methods:
- Radio frequency inductively coupled plasma (RF-ICP) system for nanocone synthesis.
- Systematic variation of process parameters: gas composition (hydrogen content) and substrate electrical bias.
- Optical reflectance measurements to characterize the optical properties.
- Numerical simulations to elucidate the growth mechanism.
Main Results:
- Achieved controlled self-organized growth of vertically aligned carbon nanocone arrays.
- Demonstrated effective control over inter-nanocone gaps, array density, and nanocone shape by adjusting hydrogen content and substrate bias.
- Observed significantly lower reflectance for the nanocone array compared to a bare silicon wafer.
- Proposed a growth mechanism involving flux redistribution and carbon passivation in confined spaces.
Conclusions:
- The RF-ICP process enables precise control over carbon nanocone array morphology.
- The synthesized carbon nanocone arrays exhibit reduced optical reflectance, indicating suitability for optical device applications.
- The proposed growth mechanism, supported by simulations, explains the self-organized formation of these nanostructures.
