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

We report the preparation of nanometer sized crystallites of silicon b y a pulsed laser ablation supersonic expansion technique. High resolut ion transmission electron microscopy is used to verify that particles with diameter in the range of approximately 3 nm and greater are produ ced. Glancing angle x-ray diffraction results confirm that the particl es formed have the silicon diamond cubic crystal structure. Visible ph otoluminescence emission from self-supporting thin films of agglomerat ed nanocrystallites is observed under excitation with ultraviolet ligh t.