Nanotechnology 18, 495202 (2007)

D Spoddig, K Schindler, P Rödiger, J Barzola-Quiquia, K Fritsch, H Mulders and P Esquinazi

Abstract

In this work we investigate the electrical transport properties and growth conditions of tungsten carbon (WC) and palladium carbon (PdC) nanostructures on Si substrates using a focused ion beam and scanning electron microscope. In situ energy dispersive x-ray (EDX) characterizations reveal that electron-beam-induced WC and PdC nanostructure depositions (EBID) show a lower metal concentration (below 3% atomic percentage) than in ion-beam-induced deposition (IBID) (above 20%). In the case of PdC the growth pattern and the Pd/C content were optimized by adjusting the deposition temperature of the precursor material. In situ measurements of the resistivity of the nanostructures as a function of thickness reveal a minimum at a thickness ~200 nm. The lowest resistivity obtained for the PdC and WC structures is two orders of magnitude higher than the corresponding bulk values for pure Pd and W. The EBID samples show a non-metallic behaviour due to the low metal content. The temperature and magnetic field dependence of the IBID structures reveal a behaviour similar to disordered or granular conductors. The upper critical field and critical current density of the WC structures were measured below the superconducting critical temperature of ~5 K.