OPTICAL-SPECTRA OF SIZE-SELECTED MATRIX-ISOLATED SILICON CLUSTERS

Size selected silicon clusters have been isolated in rare gas matrices and studied by optical absorption spectroscopy. The clusters were produced in a pulsed laser vaporization source, size selected with a quadrupole mass spectrometer and deposited at low energies into a co-condensed krypton matrix held at T<20 K. A comparison of the optical spectra of ten atom wide bands (Si-25-Si35, Si35-Si45 and Si45-Si55) shows the general size evolution of the optical properties. Single cluster sizes have also been isolated and show somewhat sharper spectra than the bands. The measured spectra show similarities to spectra calculated using Mie theory and bulk optical constants. Cluster-cluster agglomeration was studied by evaporating the inert gas matrix. The results suggest that the clusters agglomerate into larger particles even under the mildest ''soft landing'' conditions.