The origin of changes in the electronic structure of oriented multi-walled carbon nanotubes under the influence of pulsed ion radiation

On the basis of spectra obtained through the X-ray Auger-electron spectroscopy (XAES) of carbon (C KVV) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) of the carbon valence band using the equipment of the Russian–German beam line of the synchrotron radiation facility BESSY II and a Kratos Axis Ultra DLD analytical system, the influence of pulsed ion radiation on the ratio of sp2/sp3-hybridized orbitals of carbon atoms in layers of oriented multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) is investigated. It is shown that when the MWCNTs are subjected to ten pulses, a substantial increase in the proportion of carbon atoms in the sp3 hybridization state occurs compared with MWCNTs subjected to a single pulse. This increase is associated with the formation of thin (<10 nm) nanotubes and onion-like carbon, inside which masses of nanodiamond structures are observed in some cases.