Synthesis of shape, size and structure controlled nanocrystals by pre-seeded inert gas condensation

As functionality of nanoparticles is intimately related to their size, shape and structure, detailed control of these properties during synthesis is generally considered one of the large challenges in nanocrystal engineering. In the present work we demonstrate the capabilities of inert gas condensation to achieve this goal by implementing novel operating modes, which employ high sputtering powers and pulsed operation of the sputtering gun. Based on pre-seeding, highly optimized nanoparticles of polygonal shape could be synthesized, as characterized by transmission and scanning electron microscopy. While demonstrated for the example of Cu nanocrystal synthesis, the concepts are basically generally applicable to any sputterable material.