Simultaneous catalyst deposition and growth of aligned carbon nanotubes on SiO{sub 2}/Si substrates by radio frequency magnetron sputtering
- Istituto per la Microelettronica e Microsistemi-Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Stradale Primosole 50, I-95121 Catania (Italy)
Radio frequency magnetron sputtering has been used for the synthesis of aligned carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on a SiO{sub 2}/Si substrate, with simultaneous in situ catalyst deposition. This method allows the use of substrates without the need of a surface predeposition of catalytic particles. In particular, among the metals considered, we observed the formation of CNTs using W or Ni as catalysts. Only in the case of Ni did we find that the CNTs are aligned along the target-substrate direction, unlike the randomly oriented CNTs observed when W was used as catalyst. Scanning and transmission electron microscopies show that the catalytic Ni nanoparticle is found mostly on the tip of the obtained bamboolike CNTs, while W nanoparticles are encapsulated inside hollow nanotubes, at different points along their length. We ascribe not only the observed structural differences to the size of the W and Ni particles but also to a different diffusion behavior of C in the two kinds of metallic clusters.
- OSTI ID:
- 21064481
- Journal Information:
- Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 102, Issue 11; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.2818368; (c) 2007 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0021-8979
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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