Au, Ge, and AuGe nanoparticles fabricated by laser ablation

• Published in: Journal of nanoparticle research : an interdisciplinary forum for nanoscale science and technology Vol. 14; no. 2; p. 1
• Main Authors: Musaev, Omar R., Sutter, Eli A., Wrobel, Jerzy M., Kruger, Michael B.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 01-02-2012; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: ABLATION; ALLOYS; ASPECT RATIO; Brief Communication; Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Chemistry and Materials Science; Distilled water; ELECTRON DIFFRACTION; ELECTRON MICROSCOPY; EUTECTICS; EXPLOSIONS; functional nanomaterials; Inorganic Chemistry; LASERS; Materials Science; Nanoparticles; NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY; NANOSTRUCTURES; Nanotechnology; Optical Devices; Optics; Photonics; Physical Chemistry; TARGETS; TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY; WATER; Nanoparticles; Phase explosion; Laser ablation; AuGe alloy; Electron microscopy
• ISSN: 1388-0764; 1572-896X
• DOI: 10.1007/s11051-011-0654-y

A eutectic AuGe target immersed in distilled water was ablated by pulsed ultraviolet laser light. The structure of the ablated material was investigated by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). The images show formation of nanowire structures of AuGe up to 100 nm in length, with widths of 5–10 nm. These nanostructures have Ge content significantly lower than the target material. Electron diffraction demonstrates that they crystallize in the α-AuGe structure. For comparison, laser ablation of pure Au and pure Ge targets was also performed under the same conditions. HRTEM shows that Ge forms spherical nanoparticles with a characteristic size of ~30 nm. Au forms spherical nanoparticles with diameters of ~10 nm. Similar to AuGe, it also forms chainlike structures with substantially lower aspect ratio.