Influence of electron concentration and temperature on endohedral metallofullerene Me@C84 formation in a carbon plasma

Abstract Influence of electron concentration in carbon–helium plasma on endohedral metallofullerene Me@C 84 (Me=Sc, Fe, Pt) formation was theoretically investigated. By considering Me@C 84 molecule assembly at two last stages of cluster collisions the optimal for the synthesis plasma parameters (temperature and electron concentration) were determined. It was shown that the metal atom Me adhere to growing carbon cluster at the last stage of Me@C 84 molecule formation and the probability of the formation is sensitive to the metal-cluster chemical bonding and metal potential ionization value.