The feasibility of the preparation of in situ encapsulated co-deposited sublimed Fullerene C60 layers with pulsed laser ablated metals in UHV to form doped metal/fullerene structure has been investigated. The work involved:
a) The design, construction and characterisation of a special internal sublimation cell for incorporation via a load lock into a modified UHV chamber of a pulse laser ablation deposition system.
b) The investigation of sublimed C60 layers with in situ deposition capping layers of elemental silicon and aluminium. The effectiveness of encapsulation towards atmospheric degradation was briefly examined.
c) technical development of a controlled pulse laser deposition protocol for metal/sublimed C60 layers for the metals Iron and Platinum.
The structural nature of the co-deposited layers was briefly investigated by atomic force microscopy and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Non-linear optical property measurements of coated and doped C60 layers were undertaken.
Technical hurdles involved in the application of the technology have been briefly investigated.