Fabrication of Filled Carbon Nanotubes with Fresh Silicon Nanocrystals Produced In Situ by Nanosecond Pulsed Laser Processing in Environmentally Friendly Solutions

An innovative route for stabilization of freshly water-soluble silicon nanocrystals (Si-ncs) in carbon nanotube (CNT) cavity by nanosecond laser ablation and fragmentation is demonstrated. The CNTs filling by pulsed laser processing in deionized water and in transparent polymer is achieved. The laser-processing combined with filling of nanotubes directly in water leads to formation of filled cavities with spherical Si-ncs particles less than 10 nm. The processing in a silicon technology compatible polymer, in addition, leads to Si-ncs surface passivation and results in the encapsulation of room-temperature luminescent Si-ncs within the nanotube cavity. The encapsulation of newly prepared Si-ncs is efficient through the associated induced shock waves during formation at laser processing (ablation and fragmentation), which, at the same time, anticipates Si-ncs natural agglomeration in water. It is believed that such a unique environmentally friendly nanofabrication technique may find important implications for subwavelength hybrid nanodevice fabrication for electronics, biology, and photovoltaics.