https://doi.org/10.1140/epjd/e2005-00159-8
Room-temperature growth of carbon nanofibers induced by Ar+-ion bombardment
1
Department of Environmental Technology, Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya Institute of Technology, Gokiso-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya 466-8555, Japan
2
Toyota Motor Corporation, Higashifuji Technical Center 1200, Mishuku, Susono, Shizuoka 410-1193, Japan
Corresponding author: a tanemura.masaki@nitech.ac.jp
Received:
6
September
2004
Published online:
13
July
2005
Glassy carbon plates, a Ni mesh coated with a carbon film and mechanically
polished graphite plates were Ar+ ion-bombarded with and without a
simultaneous Mo supply at room temperature. Conical protrusions were formed
on the sputtered surfaces, and in some cases carbon nanofibers (CNFs) 0.2–10 
m in length and 10–50 nm in diameter grew on the tips. The growth of CNF-tipped-cones was optimized in terms of the ion-incidence angle and the rate-ratio of sputtering and seeding. Oblique sputtering was proved to
be quite effective to grow the CNF-tipped-cones. Thus, the redeposited massive carbon atoms onto cones were thought to diffuse toward the cone tips, resulting in CNF formation. This growth mechanism was confirmed by transmission electron microscope (TEM) observation disclosing the
boundary-less structure between conical bases and CNFs. TEM observation of
CNF-tipped-cones also revealed no-hollow structure and an amorphous nature
of CNFs. Since this sputtering method is a room-temperature process and
quite straightforward, ion-induced CNFs promise to have myriad applications,
such as field emission sources for flat panel displays.
PACS: 81.05.-t – Specific materials: fabrication, treatment, testing and analysis / 79.20.Rf – Atomic, molecular, and ion beam impact and interactions with surfaces / 61.82.Rx – Nanocrystalline materials / 81.10.-h – Methods of crystal growth; physics of crystal growth
© EDP Sciences, Società Italiana di Fisica, Springer-Verlag, 2005
