In situ growth and thermal treatment of nanostructured carbon produced by supersonic cluster beam deposition: An electron spectroscopy investigation

Supersonic cluster beam deposition (SCBD) has proved to be a powerful technique for assembling nanostructured materials with tailored physicochemical properties. Here we report a series of spectroscopic investigations of the growth process, from the early stages up to thick layers, of carbon films obtained by the deposition of carbon clusters. In order to perform the characterization in situ we have used an ultrahigh vacuum SCBD apparatus directly connected with an electron spectrometer. Carbon clusters have been deposited on Ag(100) and Si(100)-(2 × 1) surfaces. The electronic structure of the thus-obtained samples has been studied via valence-band and core-level photoemission. Multielectron excitations were studied by means of electron energy-loss spectroscopy. Thermal annealing of nanostructured carbon films predeposited onto the Si(100) surface promotes the formation of a SiC-like film. This process initiates at temperatures lower than those observed when closed-cage fullerene precursors are used.