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.