Chemical sensitivity of carbon nanofilms on diamond and quartz substrates

Abstract

Carbon nanofilms are another nanomaterial promising for sensor applications. Herein, we are reporting a method to obtain chemically sensitive carbon nanofilms on diamond and quartz substrates using high temperature graphitization of diamond surface in vacuum and CVD deposition from methane. The conductance linearly decreases with the time of exposure to water vapor and it does not recover after the vapor is removed. In contrast, the conductance of the film decreases sharply in acetone vapor and it restores partially when the film is retracted from the vapor. Thus, the conductance of the carbon nanofilms on quartz is not electronically sensitive to water but sensitive to acetone. However, water vapor may work as an etchant for the carbon films on quartz reducing their thickness and lowering their conductance irreversibly.