Methods of producing fullerenes in large-macroscopic quantities inexpensively is disclosed without using solid carbon material such as graphite. In a preferred embodiment, fullerenes are formed by a hot filament CVD procedure. The fullerenes occur in the soot that forms as a by-product on the edges of the substrate holder. Mass spectrum of soot deposits shows lines corresponding to C.sub.60. From the typical concentrations of gaseous species in the diamond-growing CVD chamber, hydrocarbon species including CH.sub.3 or C.sub.2 H.sub.2 can be the precursors for the formation of fullerenes in the CVD chamber. A method of using fullerenes to enhance the properties of rubber composites is also described.
A method of mechano-chemical fluorination is described that has a significantly improved yield over prior art methods of synthesis. The present invention illustrates this improved mechano-chemical Fluorination by describing the improved synthesis of Fullerene Fluorides (FF). This method overcomes reduced product yield that results from vibromill material corrosion. This method also overcomes the prior fluorination and FF synthesis problems of the prior art by utilizing different fluorinating materials, adding catalysts and diluting agents to the process, varying milling times, and heating in the presence of inert gasses to improve the fluorination process.
A carbon deposition chamber is provided with several advantages. The substrate and the heating filaments are cooled to a temperature to prevent carbonization by permitting a cooling fluid to be passed through tubing connected to these elements in a heat sink like manner. The substrate is permitted to rotate back-and-forth to permit more even deposition of carbon films onto the substrate. The heating filaments are permitted to expand and contract without breakage by permitting the electrode attached to one end of the filaments to move freely as the filaments change in length. The gas mixture used within the deposition process is expressed from tubing through three zones, which are each individually determined with needle valves.
The method for the fabrication of nano scale temperature sensors and nano scale heaters using focused ion beam (FIB) techniques. The process used to deposit metal nano strips to form a sensor is ion beam assisted chemical vapor deposition (CVD). The FIB Ga.sup.+ ion beam can be used to decompose W(CO).sub.6 molecules to deposit a tungsten nano-strip on a suitable substrate. The same substrate can also be used for Pt nano-strip deposition. The precursors for the Pt can be trimethyl platinum (CH.sub.3).sub.3 Pt in the present case. Because of the Ga.sup.+ beam used in the deposition, both Pt and W nano-strips can contain a certain percentage of Ga impurities, which we denoted as Pt(Ga) and W(Ga) respectively. Our characterization of the response of this Pt(Ga)/W(Ga) nano scale junction indicates it has a temperature coefficient of approximately 5.4 mV/.degree. C. This is a factor of approximately 130 larger than the conventional K-type thermocouples.
The method for the fabrication of nano scale temperature sensors and nano scale heaters using focused ion beam (FIB) techniques. The process used to deposit metal nano strips to form a sensor is ion beam assisted chemical vapor deposition (CVD). The FIB Ga.sup.+ ion beam can be used to decompose W(CO).sub.6 molecules to deposit a tungsten nano-strip on a suitable substrate. The same substrate can also be used for Pt nano-strip deposition. The precursors for the Pt can be trimethyl platinum (CH.sub.3).sub.3Pt in the present case. Because of the Ga.sup.+ beam used in the deposition, both Pt and W nano-strips can contain a certain percentage of Ga impurities, which we denoted as Pt(Ga) and W(Ga) respectively. Our characterization of the response of this Pt(Ga)/W(Ga) nano scale junction indicates it has a temperature coefficient of approximately 5.4 mV/.degree. C. This is a factor of approximately 130 larger than the conventional K-type thermocouples.
A method of creating a diamond-like carbon film on a substrate, including the steps of exposing the substrate to a hydrocarbon gas environment and generating plasma in the environment of an electron density greater than approximately 5.times.10.sup.10 per cm.sup.3 and a sheath thickness less than about 2 mm under conditions of high ion flux and controlled, low energy ion bombardment.
