Title: Fabrication and thermal stability of Co nanopillars in diamondlike carbon films

Authors: Jiechao C. Jiang, Fengli Wang, Efstathios I. Meletis

Addresses: Materials Science and Engineering Department, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, Texas 76019, USA. ' Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, 5000 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213-3890, USA. ' Materials Science and Engineering Department, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, Texas 76019, USA

Abstract: Co/Diamondlike Carbon (DLC) nanocomposite films consisting of well-defined, self-organised nanopillars were successfully fabricated by plasma-assisted magnetron sputtering. The nanopillars were identified as a defect-rich ε-Co structure. The shape of such nanopillars is stable up to 350°C and dissociates into several nano particles at 500°C. The defective ε-Co structure of the nanopillars is stable up to 250°C and then transforms into: polycrystalline δ^'–Co₂C at 300°C; a textured structure of lamellar δ^'–Co₂C and α-Co with a minor phase of Co₃C at 350°C; α-Co at 500°C. The underlying processes in this nano scale manufacturing are discussed.

Keywords: Co nanopillars; diamond-like carbon; transmission electron microscopy; TEM; X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy; XPS; microstructure; nanomanufacturing; nanotechnology; cobalt; nanocomposite films; nanocomposites; plasma-assisted magnetron sputtering; nanopillar fabrication; thermal stability.

DOI: 10.1504/IJNM.2008.017841

International Journal of Nanomanufacturing, 2008 Vol.2 No.1/2, pp.80 - 98

Published online: 19 Apr 2008 *

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