Synthesis of Boron Carbide Nanowires and Nanocrystal Arrays by Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition

A plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition technique has been developed to grow single crystal boron carbide nanowires and nanonecklace arrays using the single precursor closo-l,2-dicarbadodecaborane (C2B10H12). Nanowire and nanonecklace growth is expedited by Fe seeding of the substrate. Using the compound Fe-(C5H5)2 as an Fe source, it has been demonstrated that the density of nanowires, as well as the types of nanostructures that grow, can be tailored by controlling the concentration of Fe deposited onto the substrate surface prior to boron carbide deposition.