One-dimensional positioning of carbon nanocapsules and spontaneous formation of carbon nanotubes by self-organization of gold nanoparticles

Gold nanoparticles and nanowires encapsulated in carbon nanocapsules and nanotubes were spontaneously formed from one-dimensional self-organized gold nanoparticles on carbon thin films by annealing at low temperatures of 200-400 degrees C. The one-dimensional arrangement of gold nanoparticles was found to be strongly dependent on the adhesive force at the atomic step edges of amorphous carbon thin films. The gold crystals inside the nanotubes an distorted by the crystal growth of the nanowires. The present result is expected as a future fabrication technique for self-assembled ultra-large-scale-integration nanowires and cluster-protected quantum dots protected by nanocapsules and nanotubes at scales beyond the limits of current photolithography. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.Gold nanoparticles and nanowires encapsulated in carbon nanocapsules and nanotubes were spontaneously formed from one-dimensional self-organized gold nanoparticles on carbon thin films by annealing at low temperatures of 200-400 degrees C. The one-dimensional arrangement of gold nanoparticles was found to be strongly dependent on the adhesive force at the atomic step edges of amorphous carbon thin films. The gold crystals inside the nanotubes an distorted by the crystal growth of the nanowires. The present result is expected as a future fabrication technique for self-assembled ultra-large-scale-integration nanowires and cluster-protected quantum dots protected by nanocapsules and nanotubes at scales beyond the limits of current photolithography. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.