Dynamics of fragmentation and multiple vacancy generation in irradiated single-walled carbon nanotubes

Abstract

The results from mass spectrometry of clusters sputtered from Cs + irradiated single-walled carbon nano-tubes (SWCNTs) as a function of energy and dose identify the nature of the resulting damage in the form of multiple vacancy generation. For pristine SWCNTs at all Cs + energies, C 2 is the most dominant species, followed by C 3 , C 4 and C 1 . The experiments were performed in three stages: in the first stage, Cs + energy E(Cs + ) was varied. During the second stage, the nanotubes were irradiated continuously at E(Cs + ) = 5 keV for 1,800 s. Afterwards, the entire sequence of irradiation energies was repeated to differentiate between the fragmentation patterns of the pristine and of heavily irradiated SWCNTs. The sputtering and normalized yields identify the quantitative and relative extent of the ion-induced damage by creating double, triple and quadruple vacancies; the single vacancies are least favored. Sputtering from the heavily irradiated SWCNTs occurs not only from the damaged and fragmented nanotubes, but also from the inter-nanotube structures that are grown due to the accumulation of the sputtered clusters. Similar irradiation experiments were performed with the multi-walled carbon nanotubes; the results confirmed the dominant C 2 followed by C 3 , C 4 and C 1 .

Thermal spike-induced cluster sublimation from carbon nanotubes

“…We have conducted a series of experiments in order to investigate the nature of the constituents of the sputtered species emitted from the irradiated nanostructures of carbon [1][2][3]. The emitted species have consistently provided data of clusters that outnumber the monatomic yields.…”

Intrinsic diameter dependent degradation of single-wall carbon nanotubes from ion irradiation

“…defects by primary and secondary ion collisions [11][12][13], causing degradation of the SWCNT structural [14][15][16] and electrical properties [11,17,18]. Typically, SWCNT degradation caused by radiation exposure is undesirable [19], however, interest exists in utilizing controlled radiation conditions to intentionally modify or functionalize the SWCNT structures [20,21].…”

Ion sputtering of nanoclusters, fullerenes and carbon nanotubes

“…Graphite, on the other hand, is thick enough to stop the ion completely and absorb its whole impulse. The results of calculations and their comparison to the [8] experiment are shown in Fig. 1b.…”