Paper Title
Carbon Nanofilms by Controlled Graphitization of Carbon
Abstract
The research presented is on the synthesis and characterization of nanofilms of carbon on insulating substrates. Two different approaches to the film growth, both based on thermally induced structure reordering wereemployed; one utilized sp2 hybridized carbons in diamond, while the other onewas based on disordered graphitic carbons obtained through sputtering. The films were characterized by Raman spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, and conductance measurements. The observed temperature dependence of conductance of the films is explained by a model based on the thermally vibrating energy barriers. The films showed significant sensitivity in their electrical conductance to temperature and exposure to the vapors of common organic compounds. The fast response and recovery of the conductance makes the carbon Nanofilms promising for chemical sensor applications.