https://doi.org/10.1140/epjp/s13360-022-03005-x
Regular Article
Impact of plasma process parameters on the growth of vertically aligned carbon nanotube array and its optimization as field emitters
Plasma and Nano-Simulation Lab, Department of Applied Physics, Delhi Technological University (DTU), Bawana Road, 110042, New Delhi, Delhi, India
Received:
12
May
2022
Accepted:
24
June
2022
Published online:
17
July
2022
The present theoretical study models a vertically aligned carbon nanotube (VACNT) array in plasma and structures its growth based on the variation of plasma operating conditions and process parameters. We investigate the consequence of plasma concentration, power, pressure and substrate temperature on the aspects of the VACNT array. Furthermore, the amorphous carbon deposition between the CNTs of the array is also examined. As field emission is one of the most outstanding applications of the VACNT array, the field enhancement factor for the array is also deliberated and optimized. The results are modelled, considering the balance of plasma species, plasma and CNT energy exchange, hydrocarbon and hydrogen generation over the catalyst nanoparticle, CNT array growth, and carbon deposition over the substrate between CNTs in VACNT array growth using plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition. The model is numerically solved by deliberating the experimental literature’s initial conditions and plasma parameters. The aspects of an array, i.e. its length and average CNT diameter, can be optimized as desired by altering the operating conditions and glow discharge parameters. Additionally, the influence of array aspects on the field emission properties is observed. The results of the study are validated by the available experimental data. This theoretical study can be effectively used to grow the VACNT array and its optimization to obtain better field emitters.
© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Società Italiana di Fisica and Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2022
