Nanocrystalline carbon flakes deposited by RF magnetron sputtering

Carbon nanostructures were prepared by RF magnetron sputtering at deposition times from 30 to 120min and temperatures on silicon substrates from 390°C to 510°C. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observations showed that carbon films deposited at 510°C consisted of nanostructured polycrystalline carbon nanoflakes. Dark field TEM images showed carbon nanocrystals of 1nm average size. The sp2 hybridization decreases with increasing deposition time, as it was confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The nature of these carbon nanostructures would be turbostratics, an intermediate state between hexagonal and amorphous phases.