Copper-capped carbon nanocones on silicon: plasma-enabled growth control.
Controlled self-organized growth of vertically aligned carbon nanocone arrays in a radio frequency inductively coupled plasma-based process is studied. The experiments have demonstrated that the gaps between the nanocones, density of the nanocone array, and the shape of the nanocones can be effectively controlled by the process parameters such as gas composition (hydrogen content) and electrical bias applied to the substrate. Optical measurements have demonstrated lower reflectance of the nanocone array as compared with a bare Si wafer, thus evidencing their potential for the use in optical devices. The nanocone formation mechanism is explained in terms of redistribution of surface and volumetric fluxes of plasma-generated species in a developing nanocone array and passivation of carbon in narrow gaps where the access of plasma ions is hindered. Extensive numerical simulations were used to support the proposed growth mechanism.
Plasma Nanoscience Centre Australia-PNCA, CSIRO Materials Science and Engineering, P.O. Box 218, Lindfield, NSW 2070, Australia.
Shailesh
S
Kumar
Igor
I
Levchenko
David
D
Farrant
Michael
M
Keidar
Holger
H
Kersten
Kostya Ken
KK
Ostrikov
D003300:Copper / Q000737:chemistry*; D003460:Crystallization / Q000379:methods*; D046911:Macromolecular Substances / Q000737:chemistry; D008422:Materials Testing; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D010316:Particle Size; D058626:Plasma Gases / Q000737:chemistry*; D012825:Silicon / Q000737:chemistry*; D013499:Surface Properties
D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon; D058626:Plasma Gases; D003300:Copper; D012825:Silicon