Joydip Sengupta

Abstract: This investigation deals with the effect of annealing temperature on the structural, topographical and optical properties of Zinc Oxide thin films prepared by sol–gel method. The structural properties were studied using X-ray diffraction and the recorded patterns indicated that all the films had a preferred orientation along (002) plane and the crystallinity along with the grain size were augmented with annealing temperature. The topographical modification of the films due to heat treatment was probed by atomic force microscopy which revealed that annealing roughened the surface of the film. The optical properties were examined by a UV–visible spectrophotometer which exhibited that maximum transmittance reached nearly 90% and it diminished with increasing annealing temperature.

Abstract: Partially Fe filled multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were grown by chemical vapor deposition with propane at 850 °C using a simple mixture of iron (III) acetylacetonate (Fe(acac)3) powder and conventional photoresist. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that catalytic nanoparticles with an average diameter of 70 nm are formed on the Si substrate which governs the diameter of the MWCNTs. Transmission electron microscopy shows that the nanotubes have a multi-walled structure with partial Fe filling. A site-selective growth of partially Fe filled MWCNTs is achieved by a simple photolithographic route.

Abstract: Fe filled carbon nanotubes were synthesized by atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition using a simple mixture of iron(III) acetylacetonate (Fe(acac)3) with a conventional photoresist and the effect of growth temperature (550 - 950 °C) on Fe filled nanotubes has been studied. Scanning electron microscopy results show that, as the growth temperature increases from 550 to 950 °C, the average diameter of the nanotubes increases while their number density decreases. High resolution transmission electron microscopy along with energy dispersive X-ray investigation shows that the nanotubes have a multi-walled structure with partial Fe filling for all growth temperatures. The graphitic nature of the nanotubes was observed via X-ray diffraction pattern. Raman analysis demonstrates that the degree of graphitization of the carbon nanotubes depends upon the growth temperature

Abstract: The synthesis of Ni-filled multi-walled carbon nanotubes was performed by atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition with propane on Si at 850 °C using a simple mixture of (N, N'-bis(salicylidene)-ethylenediiminato) nickel(II), commonly known as Ni(salen), and a conventional photoresist. Analysis of the carbon nanotubes using scanning electron microscopy together with high-resolution transmission electron microscopy show that the nanotubes have grown by a tip-growth mechanism and exhibit a multi-walled structure with partial Ni filling. The high quality of the Ni-filled nanotubes is evidenced by Raman spectroscopy. The magnetic properties of Ni-filled nanotubes were analyzed using a superconducting quantum interference device which revealed their ferromagnetic behavior with large coercivity. A scalable as well as site-selective growth of high quality Ni-filled carbon nanotubes is achieved by a simple photolithographic method.

Abstract: Cubic silicon carbide (-SiC)/SiO2 nanowires with uniform and knotted-core structures have been synthesized on nickel-coated Si(111) substrates at 1150 C by using hexamethyldisilane (HMDS) as the source material in a hot wall atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition (APCVD) system. The nanowires consist of a single crystalline -SiC core wrapped with an amorphous SiO2 shell. The as-prepared SiC nanowires and the deposited Ni films were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, high resolution transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, micro-Raman spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy. The results show that the nanowires are random in direction and have diameter ranges from 25 nm to 70nm. The core of the nanowires has a cubic zinc blend structure and a high density of planar defects is often found. The twin plane defects are suspected to be the main reason for the formation of the knotted-core SiC nanowires. A possible growth mechanism based on vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) by base growth technique is proposed.

Abstract: The surface reconstruction of the Fe catalyst films due to high temperature processing in hydrogen prior to nanotube nucleation and its effect on the growth morphologies of partially filled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) synthesized using atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition (APCVD) of propane was investigated. Results show that pre-heating of the catalyst film deeply influences the particle size distribution, which governs the growth morphologies of the corresponding CNTs. The distribution of the catalyst particles over the Si substrate was analyzed before and after the heat treatment by atomic force microscopy (AFM) which reveals that heat treatment causes clusters of catalyst to coalesce and form macroscopic islands. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern of the grown material indicates that they are graphitic in nature. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis suggested that the growth density strongly depends on the pre heat treatment of the Fe catalyst film. Multiwalled CNTs with partial catalyst filling were observed via high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) measurements. The degree of graphitization of the CNTs also depends on the pre heating as demonstrated by Raman analysis. A simple model for the growth of partially catalyst filled nanotubes is proposed.

Abstract: The effect of Fe and Ni catalysts on the synthesis of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) using atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition (APCVD) was investigated. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) analysis suggests that the samples grow through a tip growth mechanism. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) measurements show multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) with bamboo structure for Ni catalyst while iron filled straight tubes were obtained with the Fe catalyst. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern indicates that nanotubes are graphitic in nature and there is no trace of carbide phases in both the cases. Low frequency Raman analysis of the bamboo-like and filled CNTs confirms the presence of radial breathing modes (RBM). The degree of graphitization of CNTs synthesized from Fe catalyst is higher than that from Ni catalyst as demonstrated by the high frequency Raman analysis. Simple models for the growth of bamboo-like and tubular catalyst filled nanotubes are proposed.

Abstract: The effect of Fe and Ni catalysts on the synthesis of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) using atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition (APCVD) was investigated. Distribution of the catalyst particles over the Si substrate was analyzed by atomic force microscopy (AFM). Characterization by X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and Raman spectroscopic measurements over the grown species is reported. The study clearly shows that the catalyst strongly influences morphology and microstructure of the grown CNTs.

Abstract: Growth of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) was performed by atmospheric pressure chemical vapour deposition (APCVD) of propane on Si(111) with a pre-treated Ni overlayer acting as a catalyst. Prior to the growth of CNTs, a thin film of Ni was deposited on Si(111) substrate by evaporation and heat treated at 900°C. The growth of nanotubes was carried out at 850°C using propane as a source of carbon. Distribution of the catalyst particles over the Si substrate was analysed before and after heat treatment by atomic force microscopy (AFM). The X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern of the grown material revealed that they are graphitic in nature. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) was used to investigate the growth process and it was found that a catalytic particle was always situated at the tip of the tube thus implying a tip growth mechanism. Evidence for the presence of radial breathing mode from multi-wall nanotubes (MWNTs) in the grown sample was obtained from micro-Raman analysis. Finally, high-resolution transmission electron microscopic (HRTEM) analysis confirmed that the graphene layers of the CNTs are well ordered with typical 0·34 nm spacing.

Abstract: This investigation deals with the effect of growth temperature on the growth behavior of Fe filled multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). Carbon nanotube (CNT) synthesis was carried out in a thermal chemical vapor deposition (CVD) reactor in the temperature range 650–950 °C using propane as the carbon source, Fe as the catalyst material, and Si as the catalyst support. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) analysis of the catalyst exhibits that at elevated temperature clusters of catalyst coalesce and form macroscopic islands. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) results show that with increased growth temperature the average diameter of the nanotubes increases but their density decreases. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) studies suggest that the nanotubes have multi-walled structure with partial Fe filling for all growth temperatures. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern of the grown materials indicates that they are graphitic in nature. The characterization of nanotubes by Raman spectroscopy reveals that the optimized growth temperature for Fe filled CNTs is 850 °C, in terms of quality. A simple model for the growth of Fe filled carbon nanotubes is proposed.

Abstract: The formation of various uncommon shaped voids along with regular triangular and square voids in the epitaxial 3C-SiC films on Si has been investigated by optical microscopy and atomic force microscopy. Heteroepitaxial growth of 3C-SiC films on Si (001) and (111) substrates has been performed using hexamethyldisilane in a resistance-heated chemical vapor deposition reactor. The influence of the orientation of the Si substrate in determining the shape of the voids has clearly been observed. In addition, the growth period and the growth-temperature have been considered as the major parameters to control the size, density and shape of the voids. Generally, voids are faceted along {111} planes, but depending upon growth conditions, other facets with higher surface energy have also been observed. Finally the size and density of the voids are remarkably reduced, by suitable growth technique.