Room temperature photoluminescence from nanostructured amorphous carbon

Visible room-temperature photoluminescence (PL) was observed from hydrogen-free nanostructured amorphous carbon films deposited by pulsed laser ablation in different background pressures of argon sPArd. By varying PAr from 5 to 340 mTorr, the film morphology changed from smooth to rough and at the highest pressures, low-density filamentary growth was observed. Over the same pressure regime an increase in the ordering of sp2 bonded C content was observed using visible Raman spectroscopy. The origin of the PL is discussed in terms of improved carrier localization within an increased sp2 rich phase. © 2004 American Institute of Physics. [DOI: 10.1063/1.1839641]