AVS 49th International Symposium
    Nanotubes: Science and Applications Topical Conference Monday Sessions
       Session NT-MoM

Invited Paper NT-MoM1
Synthesis and Applications of Vertically Aligned Carbon Nanofibers

Monday, November 4, 2002, 8:20 am, Room C-209

Session: Nanotubes: Growth and Characterization
Presenter: V.I. Merkulov, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Authors: V.I. Merkulov, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
A.V. Melechko, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
M.A. Guillorn, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
D.K. Hensley, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
D.H. Lowndes, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
M.L. Simpson, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Correspondent: Click to Email
Vertically aligned carbon nanofibers (VACNFs) prepared by direct-current (dc) plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) are important for various applications including electron field emitters, tips for scanning microscopy, and biological probes, among others. To date, the crucial advantage of using VACNFs is the ability to grow them deterministically, i.e. their location, height, tip and base diameters, and, to some extent, shape, orientation, and chemical composition can all be controlled, and mechanically and electrically reliable contact to the substrate can be established. We will discuss various aspects of the VACNF growth by dc PECVD including the effects of the growth parameters on the properties of resultant VACNFs, the VACNF alignment, etc. We will demonstrate significant progress toward the ability to deterministically synthesize VACNF-based carbon nanostructures in a large-scale synthesis process. In addition, phenomenological models that explain important aspects of VACNF growth will be presented. Finally, various potential applications of VACNFs will be discussed, and the possibility of large-scale fabrication of several types of devices based on individual VACNFs will be demonstrated.