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Silicon Nanoparticles Produced by Two-Step Nanosecond Pulsed Laser Ablation in Ethanol for Enhanced Blue Emission Properties

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Abstract

In this work, we introduce a facile method of laser ablation to synthesize silicon rich oxide nanoparticles colloid with blue-green emissions. The method includes a two-step nanosecond pulsed laser ablation of silicon in ethanol. First, the micro-porous layer is formed on the silicon surface by laser ablation of the target, followed by ablating the oxidized micro-porous silicon to prepare the nanoparticles dispersed in ethanol. The nanoparticles interface structure exhibit the crystalline of quartz and non-stoichiometric oxide in suboxide phase of the SiO1.5 as examined by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, UV-vis spectrophotometry and X-ray diffraction pattern. Study of the colloid photoluminescence properties reveals that the coupling of silicon nanocrystals and interfacial states may play important role in the blue emission mechanism of the colloid. Our results support that the radiative recombination at the interfacial localized states of Si/SiO1.5 can easily occur in the colloid resulting the blue emission peak at the wavelength of 425 nm. In other words, a more effective pathway is provided for excited electrons in the colloid including occurrence of excitations in silicon nanocrystal states and emission in the interfacial states. This method avoids any toxic by-product during the synthesis of colloid and can be used for the commercial-scale production of silicon nanoparticles as the blue emission material.

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  1. Department of Physics, Shahid Beheshti University, G. C., Evin, Tehran, 19839, Iran

    M. Taheri & N. Mansour

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  1. M. Taheri
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Taheri, M., Mansour, N. Silicon Nanoparticles Produced by Two-Step Nanosecond Pulsed Laser Ablation in Ethanol for Enhanced Blue Emission Properties. Silicon 12, 789–797 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12633-019-00168-8

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