Carbon aligned nanocolumns by RF-Magnetron sputtering: The influence of the growth parameters

Carbon aligned nanocolumns are grown on Si substrates by means of the radiofrequency (RF)-magnetron sputtering technique. The structural and chemical characterization is reported, showing that a considerable amount of nitrogen, introduced during the deposition process, is contained in the C nanostructures determining the columnar shape. In particular, it is shown that some deposition parameters, such as the gas used for sputtering, the temperature and the RF power, influence the shape and the nitrogen-to-carbon [N]/[C] concentration ratio in the C nanostructures.