Structures and optical properties of silicon nanocrystallites prepared by pulsed-laser ablation in inert background gas

Silicon (Si) nanocrystallites have been synthesized using pulsed-laser ablation in inert background gases, for studying the structures and optical properties as one of the quantum confinement effects. We extracted a process condition where well-dispersed Si nanocrystallites devoid of droplets and debris are prepared, by varying excitation laser conditions. Furthermore, we investigate the influence of the inert background gas pressures on transition from amorphous-like thin films to nanocrystallites. It was clarified that there is a processing window of the inert background gas pressure in which the quantum confinement effects for carriers and phonons become apparent. (C) 2000 American Institute of Physics. [S0003-6951(00)00611-2].