High yield synthesis and photoluminescence properties of carbon coils over Al2O3 substrates

•The paper reports the carbon coils' growth directly over Al2O3 substrate at a relative low temperature.•Two emission spots can be observed over the obtained sample.•The growth of carbon coils directly over the substrate could expand their utilization in electronics.

Using acetylene as carbon source, high yield of carbon coils could be synthesized directly over Al2O3 substrate through the decomposition of acetylene at 500 °C. The microstructure and photoluminescence (PL) properties of the obtained carbon coils were investigated in detail. The results demonstrate that the as-synthesized carbon coils exhibit a strong ultraviolet (UV) PL peak at 365 nm and a sideband peak at 465 nm. By increasing the excitation wavelength from 220 to 300 nm, the UV PL could be enhanced. Because of the as-synthesized carbon coils directly growing over Al2O3 substrate, the proposed route for the synthesis of carbon nanomaterials may expand their utilization in electronics effectively.

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