Title :
A computational study of gas phase chemistry in carbon nanotube synthesis by PECVD
Author :
Garg, R.K. ; Gore, J.P. ; Fisher, T.S. ; Hash, D. ; Meyyappan, M.
Author_Institution :
Sch. of Mech. Eng., Purdue Univ., West Lafayette, IN, USA
Abstract :
In the present work, gas-phase reactions for different methane-hydrogen mixtures (CH4+H2) under different process parameters - input power from an external source, inlet composition of mixture, gas inlet temperature and substrate temperature - have been simulated in a plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) reactor. The goal of the simulations is to estimate the concentrations of species responsible for the formation of carbon nanotubes (CNTs). These estimates are expected to aid in understanding fundamental mechanisms of CNT formation and in controlling the synthesis process through controllable parameters. The results indicate that significant conversion of methane to acetylene and hydrocarbon radicals occurs for the PECVD pressures and plasma powers investigated.
Keywords :
carbon nanotubes; gas mixtures; plasma CVD; surface chemistry; C; PECVD; PECVD pressures; PECVD reactor; carbon nanotube synthesis; computational study; gas phase chemistry; gas phase reactions; hydrocarbon radicals; methane hydrogen mixture simulations; methane-acetylene conversion; plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition reactor; plasma powers; Carbon nanotubes; Chemical lasers; Chemical sensors; Chemical vapor deposition; Inductors; Plasma chemistry; Plasma simulation; Plasma temperature; Process control; Spontaneous emission;
Conference_Titel :
Nanotechnology, 2003. IEEE-NANO 2003. 2003 Third IEEE Conference on
Print_ISBN :
0-7803-7976-4
DOI :
10.1109/NANO.2003.1231726
