ABSTRACT
We report on the deposition of crystalline single-helix carbon microcoils, in the as-deposited state, by the hot-wire chemical vapor deposition process without any special preparation of nano-sized transition metal catalysts and subsequent post-deposition annealing. Tungsten, originating from the heated tungsten filament, is identified as the catalyst material responsible for the growth of the microcoils. High-resolution transmission spectroscopy, combined with Raman spectroscopy, confirm that the as-deposited microcoils are crystalline, which is induced by the high deposition temperature in the vicinity of the heated filament. These results suggest a simplified, less tedious deposition process for the growth of carbon microcoils, once the process has been optimized.
ABSTRACT
We report on the thermally induced changes of the nano-structural and optical properties of hydrogenated nanocrystalline silicon in the temperature range 200-700 degrees C. The as-deposited sample has a high crystalline volume fraction of 53% with an average crystallite size of ~3.9 nm, where 66% of the total hydrogen is bonded as identical withSi-H monohydrides on the nano-crystallite surface. A growth in the native crystallite size and crystalline volume fraction occurs at annealing temperatures >/=400 degrees C, where hydrogen is initially removed from the crystallite grain boundaries followed by its removal from the amorphous network. The nucleation of smaller nano-crystallites at higher temperatures accounts for the enhanced porous structure and the increase in the optical band gap and average gap.
ABSTRACT
Hot-filament chemical vapor deposition has developed into an attractive method for the synthesis of various carbon nanostructures, including carbon nanotubes. This is primarily due to its versatility, low cost, repeatability, up-scalability, and ease of production. The resulting nano-material synthesized by this technique is dependent on the deposition conditions which can be easily controlled. In this paper we report on the effect of the deposition pressure on the structural properties and morphology of carbon nanotubes synthesized by hot-filament chemical vapor deposition, using Raman spectroscopy and high-resolution scanning electron microscopy, respectively. A 10 nm-thick Ni layer, deposited on a SiO2/Si substrate, was used as catalyst for carbon nanotube growth. Multi-walled carbon nanotubes with diameters ranging from 20-100 nm were synthesized at 500 degrees C with high structural perfection at deposition pressures between 150 and 200 Torr. Raman spectroscopy measurements confirm that the carbon nanotube deposit is homogeneous across the entire substrate area.
