title: Synthesis of nanocrystals by discharges in liquid nitrogen from Si-Sn sintered electrode.
abstract: The synthesis feasibility of silicon-tin nanocrystals by discharges in liquid nitrogen is studied using a Si-10 at % Sn sintered electrode. Time-resolved optical emission spectroscopy shows that silicon and tin melt almost simultaneously. The presence of both vapours does not lead to the synthesis of alloyed nanocrystals but to the synthesis of separate nanocrystals of silicon and tin with average sizes of 10 nm. These nanocrystals are transformed into amorphous silicon oxide (am-SiO2) and β-SnO2 by air oxidation, after evaporation of the liquid nitrogen. The synthesis of an am-Si0.95Sn0.05 phase around large silicon crystals (~500 nm) decorated by β-Sn spheroids is achieved if the current flowing through electrodes is high enough. When the sintered electrode is hit by powerful discharges, some grains are heated and tin diffuses in the large silicon crystals. Next, these grains are shelled and fall into the dielectric liquid.
authors.affiliation: Université de Lorraine, Institut Jean Lamour, UMR CNRS 7198, NANCY, F-54042, France.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kabbara
authors.affiliation: CNRS, Institut Jean Lamour, UMR CNRS 7198, NANCY, F-54042, France.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Noël
authors.affiliation: Université de Lorraine, Institut Jean Lamour, UMR CNRS 7198, NANCY, F-54042, France.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ghanbaja
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Science, section III, Department of applied physics, Lebanese University, Tripoli, Lebanon.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hussein
authors.affiliation: Nanotechnology &Integrated Bio-Engineering Centre (NIBEC), University of Ulster, Shore Road, Newtownabbey, BT37 0QB, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mariotti
authors.affiliation: Research Center for Photovoltaic Technologies, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8568, Japan.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Švrček
authors.affiliation: CNRS, Institut Jean Lamour, UMR CNRS 7198, NANCY, F-54042, France.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Belmonte