Marek Eliáš

Atmospheric pressure microwave torch for synthesis of carbon nanotubes

The microwave (mw) plasma torch at atmospheric pressure has been studied for carbon nanotube (CNT) synthesis. The depositions were carried out on silicon substrates with 515 nm thin iron catalytic overlayers from the mixture of argon, hydrogen and methane. The optical emission spectroscopy of the torch showed the presence of C2 and CH radicals as well as carbon and hydrogen excited atoms. The vicinity of the substrate influenced the relative intensities and increased the emission of C2. For fixed mw power, the temperature of the substrate strongly depended on its position with respect to the nozzle electrode and on the gas mixture, particularly the amount of H2. The speed of the substrate heating during an early deposition phase had a significant effect on the CNT synthesis. An abrupt increase of the temperature at the beginning increased the efficiency of theCNTsynthesis. Areas of dense straight standing CNTs, 30 nm in average diameter, with approximately the same sized iron nanoparticles on their tops were found in accordance with the model of growth by plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition. However, the deposit was not uniform and a place with only several nanometres thick CNTs grown on much larger iron particles was also found. Here, taking into account the gas temperature in the torch, 31003900 K, we can see similarities with the dissolutionprecipitation model of the CNT growth by high temperature methods, arc or laser ablation.

Sensing properties of multiwalled carbon nanotubes grown in MW plasma torch: electronic and electrochemical behavior, gas sensing, field emission, IR absorption.

Vertically aligned multi-walled carbon nanotubes (VA-MWCNTs) with an average diameter below 80 nm and a thickness of the uniform VA-MWCNT layer of about 16 μm were grown in microwave plasma torch and tested for selected functional properties. IR absorption important for a construction of bolometers was studied by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Basic electrochemical characterization was performed by cyclic voltammetry. Comparing the obtained results with the standard or MWCNT‐modified screen-printed electrodes, the prepared VA-MWCNT electrodes indicated their high potential for the construction of electrochemical sensors. Resistive CNT gas sensor revealed a good sensitivity to ammonia taking into account room temperature operation. Field emission detected from CNTs was suitable for the pressure sensing application based on the measurement of emission current in the diode structure with bending diaphragm. The advantages of microwave plasma torch growth of CNTs, i.e., fast processing and versatility of the process, can be therefore fully exploited for the integration of surface-bound grown CNTs into various sensing structures.

Synthesis of carbon nanotubes by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition in an atmospheric-pressure microwave torch

There are many different techniques for the synthesis of carbon nanotubes (CNTs), and plasma technologies experience a significant competitor in thermal chemical vapor deposition (CVD) processes. A particular process is, therefore, selected according to the specific requirements of an application, which clearly differ for the development of composites as compared to nanoelectronics, field emission, displays, sensors, and the like. This paper discusses the method for the synthesis of CNTs using an atmospheric-pressure microwave (MW) torch. It was successfully applied in the fast deposition of multiwalled nanotubes (MWNTs) on a substrate without the necessity of any vacuum or heating equipment. Dense straight-standing nanotubes were prepared on Si substrates with and also without barrier SiOx layer. Therefore, it was possible to produce CNTs directly on conductive Si and to use them as an electron-emitting electrode of the gas pressure sensor. The CNTs grown in MW torch were also used to create a gas sensor based on the changes of electrical resistance measured between two planar electrodes connected by the CNTs.

Mechanical and microwave absorbing properties of carbon-filled polyurethane.

Polyurethane (PU) matrix composites were prepared with various carbon fillers at different filler contents in order to investigate their structure, mechanical and microwave absorbing properties. As fillers, flat carbon microparticles, carbon microfibers and multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNT) were used. The microstructure of the composite was examined by scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Mechanical properties, namely universal hardness, plastic hardness, elastic modulus and creep were assessed by means of depth sensing indentation test. Mechanical properties of PU composite filled with different fillers were investigated and the composite always exhibited higher hardness, elastic modulus and creep resistance than un-filled PU. Influence of filler shape, content and dispersion was also investigated.

New Method for the Complete Optical Analysis of Thin Films Nonuniform in Optical Parameters

In this paper, a new optical method for characterizing thin films exhibiting area nonuniformity in optical parameters is described. This method is based on interpreting the spectral dependences of the reflectance measured using the special experimental arrangement described in detail. Using this method, the distribution of both the optical parameters, i.e. the local thickness and local refractive index, describing the thin film studied can be determined along a large area of the substrate. It is shown that the method presented can be employed for determining strong nonuniformities in the optical parameters of the films studied. The method is illustrated through the optical analysis of strongly nonuniform thin films formed by a mixture of CNx and SiOy deposited onto silicon single-crystal substrates.

SYNTHESIS OF CARBON NANOSTRUCTURES BY PLASMA ENHANCED CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION AT ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE

Synthesis of Carbon Nanostructures by Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapour Deposition at Atmospheric Pressure Carbon nanostructures present the leading field in nanotechnology research. A wide range of chemical and physical methods was used for carbon nanostructures synthesis including arc discharges, laser ablation and chemical vapour deposition. Plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition (PECVD) with its application in modern microelectronics industry became soon target of research in carbon nanostructures synthesis. Selection of the ideal growth process depends on the application. Most of PECVD techniques work at low pressure requiring vacuum systems. However for industrial applications it would be desirable to work at atmospheric pressure. In this article carbon nanostructures synthesis by plasma discharges working at atmospheric pressure will be reviewed.

Modelling of the reactive sputtering process with non-uniform discharge current density and different temperature conditions

The majority of current models of the reactive magnetron sputtering assume a uniform shape of the discharge current density and the same temperature near the target and the substrate. However, in the real experimental set-up, the presence of the magnetic field causes high density plasma to form in front of the cathode in the shape of a toroid. Consequently, the discharge current density is laterally non-uniform. In addition to this, the heating of the background gas by sputtered particles, which is usually referred to as the gas rarefaction, plays an important role. This paper presents an extended model of the reactive magnetron sputtering that assumes the non-uniform discharge current density and which accommodates the gas rarefaction effect. It is devoted mainly to the study of the behaviour of the reactive sputtering rather that to the prediction of the coating properties. Outputs of this model are compared with those that assume uniform discharge current density and uniform temperature profile in the deposition chamber. Particular attention is paid to the modelling of the radial variation of the target composition near transitions from the metallic to the compound mode and vice versa. A study of the target utilization in the metallic and compound mode is performed for two different discharge current density profiles corresponding to typical two pole and multipole magnetics available on the market now. Different shapes of the discharge current density were tested. Finally, hysteresis curves are plotted for various temperature conditions in the reactor.

Atmospheric pressure barrier discharge at high temperature: Diagnostics and carbon nanotubes deposition

Atmospheric pressure dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) in Ar/H2 gas feed with C2H2 or CH4 admixture was studied at room and high temperature of 680 °C by plasma diagnostics (electrical measurements, fast camera imaging, and optical emission spectroscopy). It was shown that filamentary DBD in pure Ar or Ar/H2 can be converted into homogeneous discharge by an acetylene admixture. Fast intensified charge-coupled device (ICCD) camera proved that this homogeneous discharge is an atmospheric pressure glow discharge (APGD) at room temperature whereas at high temperature the discharge mode switches at every half-period between APGD and atmospheric pressure Townsend discharge. The high temperature discharges (610–710 °C) in Ar/H2/C2H2 and Ar/H2/CH4 were also investigated with respect to a surface bound deposition of carbon nanotubes using 5 nm thick iron layer as a catalyst. CNTs were deposited without any dedicated catalyst pretreatment phase. The quality of CNTs, namely, their density, vertical alignment, and w...

Carbon Nanostructures in MEMS Applications

A new field emission pressure sensor based on carbon nanotubes (CNTs) emitting array is described in this paper. The pressure sensor is based on the principle that the field emission current is correlated with the electrical field intensity, i.e. the variable anode-emitter distance caused by pressure changes when the applied voltage is fixed. The sensor consists of two main parts, silicon etched membrane anode and CNTs emitting array cathode. The silicon single crystal (Si) wafer with <100> orientation is doped by phosphorus to obtain low resistant value. The CNTs were grown by plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition by using iron as a catalyst in atmospheric pressure microwave torch. The field emission device has high emission current density, low threshold voltage, resistance to radiation, and quick response.

Gas Pressure Sensor Based on PECVD Grown Carbon Nanotubes

In this paper the development and fabrication of the pressure sensor based on electron field emission from carbon nanotubes (CNTs) was described. The sensor consisted of two parts: a silicon membrane as an anode; and multi-walled CNTs on a silicon cathode, creating a vacuum micro-chamber. Both electrodes were fabricated from the silicon single crystal (Si) wafer of an orientation 100 doped by phosphorus. The CNTs were grown by a plasma enhanced CVD using an iron catalyst in an atmospheric pressure microwave torch. The catalyst was patterned into an area corresponding to the membrane dimensions. The thin CNTs with a diameter of about 80 nm were standing vertically perpendicular to the substrate due to a crowding effect. In order to find the threshold current, the emission characteristics of prepared sensors were measured.