Evaporation and deposition of alkyl-capped silicon nanocrystals in ultrahigh vacuum

Chao, Yimin ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8488-2690, Siller, Lidija, Krishnamurthy, Satheesh, Coxon, Paul R., Bangert, Ursel, Gass, Mhairi, Kjeldgaard, Lisbeth, Patole, Samson N., Lie, Lars H., O'Farrell, Norah, Alsop, Thomas A., Houlton, Andrew and Horrocks, Benjamin R. (2007) Evaporation and deposition of alkyl-capped silicon nanocrystals in ultrahigh vacuum. Nature Nanotechnology, 2. pp. 486-489. ISSN 1748-3387

Full text not available from this repository. (Request a copy)

Abstract

Nanocrystals are under active investigation because of their interesting size- dependent properties(1,2) and potential applications(3-5). Silicon nanocrystals have been studied for possible uses in optoelectronics(6), and may be relevant to the understanding of natural processes such as lightning strikes(7). Gas-phase methods can be used to prepare nanocrystals, and mass spectrometric techniques have been used to analyse Au-8,(9) and CdSe clusters(10). However, it is difficult to study nanocrystals by such methods unless they are synthesized in the gas phase(11). In particular, pre-prepared nanocrystals are generally difficult to sublime without decomposition. Here we report the observation that films of alkyl-capped silicon nanocrystals evaporate upon heating in ultrahigh vacuum at 200 degrees C, and the vapour of intact nanocrystals can be collected on a variety of solid substrates. This effect may be useful for the controlled preparation of new quantum-confined silicon structures and could facilitate their mass spectroscopic study and size- selection(12).

Item Type: Article
Faculty \ School: Faculty of Science > School of Chemistry
UEA Research Groups: Faculty of Science > Research Groups > Physical and Analytical Chemistry (former - to 2017)
Faculty of Science > Research Groups > Chemistry of Materials and Catalysis
Faculty of Science > Research Groups > Energy Materials Laboratory
Depositing User: Rachel Smith
Date Deposited: 09 May 2011 15:50
Last Modified: 23 Oct 2022 07:30
URI: https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/30070
DOI: 10.1038/nnano.2007.224

Actions (login required)

View Item View Item