Chertopalov S. Influence of the composition and the structure of fullerene-containing films on their physical and chemical properties

Factors are the object of research that influence on structure formation and properties of fullerene films and their transformation under external influence. The dissertation studies the structure composition of fullerite fims depending on the composition and the reaction conditions, and analyzes the role of structural defects in the formation of optical properties of films. The methods of investigation are next: thin film deposition of the fullerite and metal-fullerite coatings using thermal deposition in vacuum; XRD and electron diffraction for phase and structure analyses; transmission and scanning electron microscopy for study of morphology and defects structure; optical interference microscopy for thickness control; optical spectroscopy, ion- and radical-recombination luminescence for study of optical properties. The mechanism of the formation of fullerite films was redefined: in contrast with the known mechanisms it takes into account the influence of substrate on the formation of growth twins and stacking faults in films; concentration of films under the existing deposition conditions depends on the type of substrate. Factors inducing the formation of growth twins and microtwin layers in fullerite films were defined. Interrelation between the nature of light absorption in the long-wave region and the structural perfection of fullerite films was established. Structural transformation in C60 fullerite irradiated by argon ions at 3-4 keV energies within the dose of 10^18-10^19 m^-2 was found out; this means a disorder of C60 structure that induces the formation of dislocation loops of penetration and increases the number of stacking faults. Chemoluminescence of fullerites (fullerite films deposited on NaCl) excited by atomic hydrogen was studied and its mechanism was established. Chemoluminescence spectra and their kinetics show that radical recombination luminescence (RRL) takes place. It was established that cocurrent deposition of metal (Cu, Ag, Au, Al) and fullerene results in the formation of nanocrystalline films consisting of metal crystallites and fullerite; fullerene molecules facilitate size reduction of metal crystallites that allows obtaining fine-dispersed metal particles, on which surface resonance plasmon absorption is observed.