Open AccessRevealing the 1 nm/s extensibility of nanoscale amorphous carbon in a scanning electron microscope
Author(s) -
Zhang Wei
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
scanning
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.359
H-Index - 47
eISSN - 1932-8745
pISSN - 0161-0457
DOI - 10.1002/sca.21059
Subject(s) - scanning electron microscope , materials science , amorphous solid , amorphous carbon , electron beam induced deposition , field electron emission , carbon fibers , nanoscopic scale , electron , cathode ray , field emission microscopy , nanotechnology , environmental scanning electron microscope , optoelectronics , optics , composite material , scanning transmission electron microscopy , chemistry , crystallography , physics , diffraction , quantum mechanics , composite number
Summary In an ultra‐high vacuum scanning electron microscope, the edged branches of amorphous carbon film (∼10 nm thickness) can be continuously extended with an eye‐identifying speed (on the order of ∼1 nm/s) under electron beam. Such unusual mobility of amorphous carbon may be associated with deformation promoted by the electric field, which resulted from an inner secondary electron potential difference from the main trunk of carbon film to the tip end of branches under electron beam. This result demonstrates importance of applying electrical effects to modify properties of carbon materials. It may have positive implications to explore some amorphous carbon as electron field emission device. SCANNING 35: 261‐264, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.