Abstract
The hypothesis that fullerenes grow in a carbon plasma by the addition of units (the “fullerene road”) has been widely acclaimed as the most plausible mechanism for formation of larger fullerenes including and . Calculations suggest that the association of with fullerenes proceeds through two classes of intermediates, “sticks” and “handles.” Here we report the observation of these species using high-resolution ion-mobility measurements for cations generated by laser vaporization of graphite and laser desorption of . Sticks with up to eight-atom chains have also been found.
- Received 5 August 1999
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.84.2421
©2000 American Physical Society