Room temperature synthesis of carbon nanofibers containing nitrogen by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition

This letter reports low-pressure, room-temperature growth of carbon nanofibers containing nitrogen by plasma chemical vapor deposition arrangement. By alternating pure acetylene plasma and afterglow pure nitrogen high dense plasma, a fine control of the fibers growth kinetic is obtained. This layer-by-layer deposition technique takes advantage of nitrogen chemical etching effects during the growth of nitrogen-doped carbon nanofibers. (C) 2004 American Institute of Physics.