FULLERENE ONION FORMATION BY CARBON-ION IMPLANTATION INTO COPPER

We have performed high-dose carbon-ion implantations into copper subst rates at high temperature with the objective of producing single cryst alline diamond thin films. An important density of giant carbon onions has been identified in a turbostratic graphite layer formed on the co pper surface. We have characterized these giant fullerenes (up to 1 mu m in diameter) by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolu tion TEM (HRTEM) and electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS), and we propose two possible mechanisms of formation of the carbon onions duri ng the implantation process.