Efficiently producing single-walled carbon nanotube rings and investigation of their field emission properties

Single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) rings with a diameter of about 100 nm have been prepared by thermally decomposing hydrocarbon in a floating catalyst system. These rings appeared to consist mostly of SWNT toroids. High resolution transmission electron microscopy showed that these rings were composed of tens of SWNTs with a tightly packed arrangement. The production of SWNT rings was improved through optimizing various growth parameters, such as growth temperature, sublimation temperature of the catalyst, different gas flows and different catalyst components. The growth mechanism of the SWNT rings is discussed. In the field emission measurements we found that field emission from a halved ring is better than that from a whole SWNT ring, which contributed to the better emission from two opened ends of the nanotubes of the halved SWNT ring.

Surface morphology of ion-beam deposited carbon films under high temperature

Carbon films with an open-ended structure were obtained by mass-selected ion-beam deposition technique at 800degreesC. Raman spectra show that these films are mainly sp(2)-bonded. In our case, threshold ion energy of 140 eV was found for the formation of such surface morphology. High deposition temperature and ion-beam current density are also responsible for the growth of this structure. Additionally, the growth mechanism of the carbon films is discussed in this article. It was found that the ions sputtered pits on the substrate in the initial stage play a key role in the tubular surface morphology. (C) 2002 American Vacuum Society.

Carbon film deposited by mass-selected low energy ion beam technique and ion bombardment effect

By mass-selected low energy ion beam deposition, amorphous carbon film was obtained. X-ray diffraction, Raman and Auger electron spectroscopy depth line shape measurements showed that such carbon films contained diamond particles. The main growth mechanism is subsurface implantation. Furthermore, it was indicated in a different way that ion bombardment played a decisive role in bias enhanced nucleation of chemical vapor deposition diamond.

Scanning electron microscope studies of cubic AlxGa1-xN films grown on GaAs(100) by metal organic vapor phase epitaxy (MOVPE)

Cubic AlGaN films were grown on GaAs(100) substrates by MOVPE. Scanning electron microscope and photoluminescence were used to analyze the surface morphology and the crystalline quality of the epitaxial layers. We found that both NH, and TEGa fluxes have a strong effect on the surface morphology of AlGaN films. A model for the lateral growth mechanism is presented to qualitatively explain this effect. The content of hexagonal AlGaN in the cubic AlGaN films was also related to the NH3 flux. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Structural studies of NixFe100-x/Mo magnetic multilayers by x-ray small-angle reflection and high-angle diffraction

Magnetic multilayers [NixFe100-x/Mo-30] grown by dc-magnetron sputtering were investigated by x-ray small-angle reflection and high-angle diffraction. Structural parameters of the multilayers such as the superlattice periods, the interfacial roughness, and interplane distance were obtained. It was found that for our NixFe100-x/Mo system, the Mo layer has bcc structure with [110] preferential orientation, while the preferential orientation of the NixFe100-x layer changes from a fee structure with [111] preferential orientation to a bcc structure with [110] preferential orientation with decreasing values of x. An intermixing layer located in the interlayer region between the NixFe100-x and Mo layers exists in the multilayers, and its thickness is almost invariant with respect to an increase of Mo layer thickness and/or a decrease of x in the region of x greater than or equal to 39. The thickness of the intermixing layer falls to zero when x less than or equal to 23.

INVESTIGATION OF C-60 SINGLE-CRYSTAL BY X-RAY-METHODS

C-60 Single crystals grown by a single-temperature-gradient technique were characterized by synchrotron radiation white beam x-ray topography and x-ray double crystal diffraction with Cu K-alpha 1 radiation on conventional x-ray source. The results show that the crystal is rather well crystallized, The x-ray topographies give an evidence of dendritic growth mechanism of C-60 Single crystal, and x-ray double crystal diffraction rocking curve shows that there are mosaic structural defects in the sample. A phase transition st 249+/-1.5% K from a simple cubic to a face centered cubic structure is confirmed by in situ observation of synchrotron radiation white beam x-ray topography with the temperature varing from 230 to 295 K.

Polymorphous silicon nanowires synthesized by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition

Polymorphous Si nanowires (SiNWS) have been successfully synthesized on Si wafer by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) at 440degreesC,using silane as the Si source and Au as the catalyst. To grow the polymorphous SiNWS preannealing the Si substrate with Au film at 1100 degreesC is needed. The diameters of Si nanowires range from 15 to 100 urn. The structure morphology and chemical composition of the SiNWS have been characterized by high resolution x-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, as well as energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy. A few interesting nanowires with Au nanoclusters uniformly distributed in the body of the wire were also produced by this technique.

Preparation and characterization of CdS nanotubes and nanowires by electrochemical synthesis in ion-track templates

CdS nanotubes and nanowires have been synthesized with controlled dimensions by means of template-electrodeposition method in etched ion-track membranes. The diameters of nanotubes and nanowires are between 20 and I 10 nm, and the lengths are up to tens of micrometers. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and selected area electron diffraction (SAED) pattern investigations demonstrate that CdS nanotubes and nanowires are polycrystalline in nature. The UV-vis absorption spectra of CdS nanotubes and nanowires embedded in polycarbonate (PC) membranes show that the absorption edges of PC films shift towards the shorter wavelength, with decreasing diameters of the deposited nanostructures. The results indicate that nanowires are formed from nanotubes by nanotube-stuffing-growth mechanism.

A novel form of carbon micro-balls from coal

A novel form of ball-like carbon material with its size in micrometer range was prepared from coal with nickel as catalyst by arc plasma method. The carbon material has been systematically studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and ultraviolet laser Raman spectroscopy. The SEM observation shows that the novel carbon material exists in various forms such as individual balls, net-like and plate-like forms, all of which have a quite smooth surface. The diameters of these carbon spheres are quite uniform and in a narrow range of 10-20 mum. The EDS analysis reveals that the ball-like carbon material contains more than 99.5% of carbon and a little amount of other elements such as nickel, silicon and aluminum, The XRD and UV-Raman results reveal that the novel carbon material is a kind of highly graphitized carbon. The growth mechanism of the ball-like carbon material was proposed and discussed in terms of arc plasma parameters and the chemical structure of coal-based carbon. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Shape controllable synthesis and upconversion properties of NaYbF4/NaYbF4 : Er3+ and YbF3/YbF3 : Er3+ microstructures

Ytterbium fluoride compounds with different crystal phases and morphologies, such as beta-NaYbF4 hexagonal microdisks, microprisms, microtubes, and alpha-NaYbF4 submicrospheres as well as YbF3 octahedra, have been synthesized via a facile hydrothermal route. X-Ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), selected area electron diffraction (SAED) and photoluminescence (PL) spectra were used to characterize the samples.

Facile Synthesis and Characterization of Single Crystalline Bi2S3 with Various Morphologies

Single crystalline Bi2S3 With various morphologies (wires, rods, and flowers) has been successfully prepared via a simple polyol solution process and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques. The morphologies of Bi2S3 crystals are highly dependent on the experimental parameters, including the reaction temperature, reactant ratio, sulfur source, and additive. The adjustment of these parameters can lead to an obvious shape evolution of products, and the growth mechanism has been proposed.

Nanoporous In2O3 nanocrystal clusters: One-step synthesis, thermal stability and optical property

Nanoporous In2O3 nanocrystal clusters with high surface areas have been synthesized by a one-step solvent-thermal method at a relatively low temperature. On the basis of our experimental data and nanomaterial growth mechanism, a template-assistant dehydration accompanied by aggregation mechanism was proposed to explain their formation. Besides, the influence of the high-temperature treatment on their porous structure and optical properties were studied and compared by various technologies.

3D Fe3S4 flower-like microspheres: high-yield synthesis via a biomolecule-assisted solution approach, their electrical, magnetic and electrochemical hydrogen storage properties

Well-defined 3D Fe3S4 flower-like microspheres were synthesized via a simple biomolecule-assisted hydrothermal process for the first time. On the basis of a series of contrast experiments, the probable growth mechanism and fabrication process of the products were proposed. The electrical conductivity property of the as-synthesized Fe3S4 sample exhibited a rectifying characteristic when a forward bias was applied for the bottom-contacted device. The magnetic properties of the products were studied as well and the results demonstrated that the products presented ferromagnetic properties related to the corresponding microstructure. In addition, we first verified that the Fe3S4 flower-like microspheres could store hydrogen electrochemically, and a discharge capacity of 214 mA h g(-1) was measured without any activation under normal atmospheric conditions at room temperature.