Nucleation and growth of carbon onions synthesized by ion-implantation: a transmission electron microscopy study

• Published in: Materials letters Vol. 54; no. 2; pp. 222 - 228
• Main Authors: Thune, E, Cabioc'h, T, Guérin, Ph, Denanot, M.-F, Jaouen, M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01-05-2002; Elsevier
• Subjects: Carbon onions; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Exact sciences and technology; Growth; Implantation; Materials science; Nanoscale materials and structures: fabrication and characterization; Nucleation; Physics; Silver; Transmission electron microscope; Carbon onions; Silver; 68.37.Lp; Nucleation; Growth; 81.07.−b; Transmission electron microscope; Implantation; 61.48.+c; 61.80.Jh; Ion implantation; Physical radiation effects; Nanostructures; Experimental study; Carbon; Precipitates; Aggregation; Nanoparticles; Transmission electron microscopy; Transition elements; Nonmetals; Morphology; Growth mechanism; Atomic clusters
• ISSN: 0167-577X; 1873-4979
• DOI: 10.1016/S0167-577X(01)00567-5

Carbon onions were synthesized by 120 keV carbon ion-implantation into silver substrates heated at high temperature (>400 °C). Their nucleation and growth mechanisms are discussed from plane view and cross-sectional transmission electron microscope (TEM) characterizations of implanted samples. Implanted carbon atoms precipitate inside the bulk of the silver substrate, allowing the formation of spherical carbon nanostructures distributed in the silver matrix. A progressive transformation of these precipitates into onion-like structures as well as the growth of the carbon nanostructures occurred in the bulk of the substrates when the fluence increased. Furthermore, the correlation between the size of the carbon onions and the carbon concentration into the silver matrix is discussed.