ABSTRACT
From a naïve viewpoint, one might tend to assume that the buildup of large and ordered fullerene structures requires careful arrangement of the molecule atom by atom. Surprisingly, fullerenes are commonly produced under laser plasma conditions where inelastic collisions and electronic excitations prevail (Kroto et al. 1991). In a simpli ed picture, the two basic ingredients necessary to produce fullerenes mostly turn out to be the presence of carbon and heat. is in turn demonstrates a high degree of self-organization. Only recently, new trends have come up, which aim at a more controlled fullerene production based on surface catalysis at lower temperatures.
