Title: Nanofabrication of vertically aligned Diamond Rods and Carbon Nanotubes

Authors: N. Ali, G. Cabral, E. Titus, J. Gracio

Addresses: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Centre for Mechanical Technology and Automation, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal. ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, Centre for Mechanical Technology and Automation, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal. ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, Centre for Mechanical Technology and Automation, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal. ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, Centre for Mechanical Technology and Automation, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal

Abstract: In this paper, we report on the synthesis of vertically aligned Diamond Rods (DR) and Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs), using a new approach involving the utilisation of two plasmas confined in a hot-filament Chemical Vapour Deposition (CVD) reactor. The double plasma CVD process employed a tantalum filament and three independent power sources to generate the two plasmas required to produce the vertically aligned DR and CNTs. The deposition of vertically aligned Diamond Nanorods (DNR) by this technique is a different route from the methods used so far by other workers, since this process avoids the need for employing templates, molybdenum masks on polycrystalline diamond surfaces, post-deposition treatments, etc. SEM, micro-Raman spectroscopy and TEM techniques were used to characterise the deposited rods/tubes.

Keywords: nanofabrication; double plasma CVD; nanorods; whiskers; carbon nanotubes; CNTs; nanomanufacturing; nanotechnology; diamond rods; chemical vapour deposition.

DOI: 10.1504/IJNM.2008.017843

International Journal of Nanomanufacturing, 2008 Vol.2 No.1/2, pp.116 - 126

Published online: 19 Apr 2008 *

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