title: Fabrication of a Au/Si nanocomposite structure by nanosecond pulsed laser irradiation.
abstract: A gold/silicon nanocomposite structure (NCS) was formed on a Si(100) surface by nanosecond pulsed laser irradiation. The Au/Si NCS contained both Au nanoparticles (NPs) and Au-Si alloy layers. We report that the use of laser irradiation to form Au NPs comprises two competing processes: a top-down effect involving decomposition into smaller NPs and a bottom-up effect involving self-assembly or self-organization into larger NPs. The formation of the periodic structure involved self-organization, i.e., the bottom-up effect, and was observed in situ using a pulsed-laser-equipped high-voltage electron microscope. The NCS formed by laser irradiation can be controlled by adjusting the laser energy density and the number of laser pulses.
authors.affiliation: Division of Quantum Science and Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Hokkaido University, Kita-8, Nishi-13, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-8628, Japan. yyoshida@ufml.caret.hokudai.ac.jp
authors.forename: Yutaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.forename: Seiichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Yoshiaki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nishijima
authors.forename: Kosei
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ueno
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Misawa
authors.forename: Takahiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kato