Browsing by Author "Nyawo, Thembinkosi Goodman"

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    Reactive magnetron deposition and characterization of ZrN thin films for decorative and field emission applications
    (University of Zululand, 2012) Nyawo, Thembinkosi Goodman; Ndwandwe, O.M.
    Zirconium nitrite (ZrN) films were deposited on substrates of Si<100>, Aluminium strip, brass strips and glass, by DC magnetron sputtering system under varying conditions of power, pressure, argon and nitrogen gas flow rates as well as temperature, and were characterized by SEM/EDX, AFM, Colour photospectrometer, RBS and resonant RBS. The films were found to be transparent and semiconducting. They tended to absorb oxygen. The films were found to adhere well to the substrates. The colours of the films varied depending on deposition conditions and have been expressed in the colour space. Potential uses of such films are as protective hard coatings as well as decorative layers. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were synthesized on ZrN, Al2O3, Si (100) and Al2O3/Si (100) substrates by means of sputtering under varying conditions of acetylene and hydrogen gas flow rates, deposition time as well as temperature. The carbon nanotubes were grown successful on zirconium nitride as well as aluminium oxide films with help of metal catalyst, Fe.