Sprout-like growth of carbon nanowires on a carbon-doped Ni(1 1 1) surface

Sprout-like growth of carbon nanowires on single-crystal graphite (0 0 0 1) terraces on a carbon-doped Ni(1 1 1) substrate has been observed for the first time using only a heat treatment in ultrahigh vacuum. Nanometer-scale morphology and chemistry have been clarified by low-energy electron diffraction, Auger electron spectroscopy and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). The growth mechanism is based on a bulk-to-surface precipitation process of internal carbon atoms that were doped in a high-purity Ni(1 1 1) substrate in advance. The observed carbon nanowires are single wires and their bundles, which have a metallic conductivity. The structures have some similarity to those of single-wall and multi-wall carbon nanotubes. Simple manipulation of a single carbon nanowire is demonstrated by STM.