Study on formation model of carbon nanotips by ion bombardment

Abstract Carbon nanotips were grown from a thin carbon film deposited on a silicon substrate by plasma-enhanced hot filament chemical vapor deposition using CH 4 , H 2 and NH 3 as the reaction gases. The results of micro-Raman spectrometry and atomic force microscopy indicate that the carbon film is amorphous carbon and rough, and the results characterized by scanning electron microscopy show that the formation of the carbon nanotips depends on ion bombardment. During ion bombardment, there is deposition of the carbonaceous ions as well as sputter-etching of the etching ions. The theory related to ion deposition and sputtering was applied to establish the formation model of the carbon nanotips.