Date of Award:
5-2015
Document Type:
Thesis
Degree Name:
Master of Science (MS)
Department:
Physics
Committee Chair(s)
T. -C. Shen
Committee
T. -C. Shen
Committee
D. M. Riffe
Committee
James Dyer
Abstract
Carbon nanotube forests are vertically grown tubular formations of graphene. Due to their inherent microstructure and geometry, they are ideal light absorbers over a broad spectrum, making this material an excellent absorber in applications such as radiometry, optical calibration, and stray light suppression. Samples were made with several growth conditions and substrates to provide forests of different morphologies. Optical data of these samples were gathered by taking spectroscopic reflectance and transmittance measurements in the mid-infrared spectral range. Results were correlated to the various forest morphologies. From this, the conditions necessary to maximize the absorption of the forests were found and can be used to cater nanotube growth for specific substrates and applications. The absorption of these samples is characterized by an absorption coefficient that is extracted from the transmittance data. Two mathematical models were used to reproduce the forest’s absorption data. Relevant physical attributes can be gathered from these models and corroborated with scanning electron microscopy to provide a better understanding of the optical properties of carbon nanotubes.
Checksum
49183fb1b4b29d2df73d4bfa6d267f6d
Recommended Citation
Wood, Brian D., "Optical Characterization of Carbon Nanotube Forests" (2015). All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023. 4567.
https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/etd/4567
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