NANOMETER-SIZED SILICON CRYSTALLITES PREPARED BY EXCIMER-LASER ABLATION IN CONSTANT-PRESSURE INERT-GAS

We report nanometer-sized silicon (Si) crystallites prepared by excime r laser ablation in constant pressure inert gas ambient. Size distribu tion of the Si ultrafine particles depends on the pressure of inert ga s ambients. The relation between the average size and the ambient pres sure can be explained by an inertia fluid model. It is verified that t he size of the Si ultrafine particles is similar to 3 nm and greater i n diameter. Furthermore, crystallinity of the nanoscale ultrafine part icles is crystalline similar to that of bulk Si. (C) 1996 American Ins titute of Physics.