Clustering in Nanostructured Carbon: Evidence of Electron Delocalization

The electronic properties of disordered carbon based materials can be discussed in terms of the clustering of the sp 2 carbon phase and delocalization of the electron wavefunction. In smooth amorphous carbon thin films this results in a mixed phase material of conductive sp 2 clusters embedded in an electrically insulating sp 3 matrix. The delocalization of the electron wavefunction associated with the sp 2 clusters is shown to play an important role in understanding many of the electronic and optical properties of the films. It is demonstrated that the extent of the electron delocalization and clustering can be estimated using magnetic resonance methods. Evidence for delocalization in a range of carbon based materials such as diamond-like carbon thin films produced by chemical vapour deposition, nanostructured carbon produced by pulsed laser ablation and ultrananocrystalline diamond is presented. a) Electronic mail: [email protected] Carey and Henley, Diam. Relat. Mater. 16, 1782 (2007)