A Mechanism of Diamond Growth with Carbon Nanotube Nucleation Agent by Hot-Filament Chemical Vapor Deposition

Abstract

Behaviors of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in H₂ atmosphere or CH₄+H₂ mixtures, transforming mechanism of CNTs to diamond embryo were investigated. Experimental results show that CNTs could be etched by H₂ and transformed to carbon nanoparticles under conditions of hot-filament chemical vapor deposition. The mechanism can be concluded that CNTs were broken down by H₂, transformed to carbon nanoparticles or shorter CNTs; on surface of carbon nanoparticles or end caps of CNTs diamond crystals were nucleated and grown up.