Formation of carbon nano- and micro-structures on C+1 irradiated copper surfaces

6th Vacuum and Surface Sciences Conference of Asia and Australia

Ahmad, Shoaib^1

CASP, Government College University, Church Road, Lahore 54000, Pakistan^1

关键词: Annealed samples;    Carbon onions;    Copper surface;    Cu substrate;    Graphitic sheets;    Nano- and micro-structure;    Secondary electron microscopy;    Size structure;   

Others  :  https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1742-6596/439/1/012007/pdf
DOI  :  10.1088/1742-6596/439/1/012007

来源: IOP

【 摘 要 】

A series of experiments has identified mechanisms of carbon nano- and micro-structure formation at room temperature, without catalyst and in the environment of immiscible metallic surroundings. The structures include threaded nano fibres, graphitic sheets and carbon onions. Copper as substrate was used due to its immiscibility with carbon. Energetic carbon ions (C+1) of 0.2-2.0 MeV irradiated Cu targets. Cu substrates, apertures and 3 mm dia TEM Cu grids were implanted with the carbon. We observed wide range of μm-size structures formed on Cu grids and along the edges of the irradiated apertures. These are shown to be threaded nano fibers (TNF) of few μm thicknesses with lengths varying from 10 to 3000 μm. Secondary electron microscopy (SEM) identifies the μm-size structures while Confocal microscopy was used to learn about the mechanisms by which C+1irradiated Cu provides the growth environment. Huge carbon onions of diameters ranging from hundreds of nm to μm were observed in the as-grown and annealed samples. Transformations of the nanostructures were observed under prolonged electron irradiations of SEM and TEM. A mechanism for the formation of carbon nano- and micro-structures is proposed.