Ion-assisted nanorod growth by dc magnetron sputtering

High‐rate cathode growth of nanorods is observed for dc magnetron sputtering of graphite, germanium and molybdenum cathodes despite the sputtering. The growth of vertically aligned carbon nanorods using dc magnetron sputtering with deuterium as the working gas and a polycrystalline nuclear graphite cathode is reported for the first time. Two different types of carbon nanorodes are observed differing in their diameter/length ratio. High‐rate nanorod growth is also observed for the usual magnetron sputtering with argon as a working gas for molybdenum and germanium single‐crystal cathodes. The high growth rate (tens of micrometres per hour) is discussed in the context of ion‐stimulated surface mobility of the neutral atoms and their redeposition in nonhomogeneous cathode sputtering. (© 2005 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)