Electronic properties and applications of cluster-assembled carbon films

Nanostructured carbon thin films can be grown by deposition of cluster beams produced in supersonic expansions. By using a pulsed microplasma cluster source and by exploiting aerodynamic focusing effects typical of supersonic expansions, the structure and the properties of the films can be controlled by varying the cluster mass distribution prior to deposition. Nanocomposite films can be produced by co-depositing carbon clusters and metallic nanoparticles.