SYNTHESIS AND PROCESSING OF SILICON NANOCRYSTALLITES USING A PULSED LASER ABLATION SUPERSONIC EXPANSION METHOD

We report the preparation of nanometer sized crystallites of silicon by a pulsed laser ablation supersonic expansion technique. High resolution transmission electron microscopy is used to verify that particles with diameter in the range of ∼3 nm and greater are produced. Glancing angle x‐ray diffraction results confirm that the particles formed have the silicon diamond cubic crystal structure. Visible photoluminescence emission from self‐supporting thin films of agglomerated nanocrystallites is observed under excitation with ultraviolet light.

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