Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
5367557 | Applied Surface Science | 2009 | 4 Pages |
Abstract
A method for the formation of Au nanocrystal (nc) arrays embedded in an ultrathin SiO2 layer in one vacuum cycle is proposed. The method is based on the co-deposition in vacuum of â¼1Â nm thick uniform Si-Au amorphous layer at a specific composition ratio by Pulsed Laser Deposition on the pre-oxidized Si(1Â 0Â 0) substrate, followed by its oxidation in the glow discharge oxygen plasma at room temperature, resulting in the precipitation of Au ncs at the bottom interface and/or at the surface of the forming SiO2 layer. The capping SiO2 layer is formed by the glow discharge plasma oxidation of further deposited ultrathin Si layer. Au ncs 2-5Â nm in size and with the separation of â¼3-20Â nm from each other segregate during the oxidation of Au-Si mixture as evidenced by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The evolution of Au and Si chemical state upon each step of the SiO2:nc-Au nanocomposite structure formation is monitored in situ by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The metrology of nanocomposite SiO2:nc-Au structures describing the space distribution of Au ncs as a function of Au/Si ratio is presented.
Keywords
Related Topics
Physical Sciences and Engineering
Chemistry
Physical and Theoretical Chemistry
Authors
A.V. Zenkevich, Yu.Yu. Lebedinskii, A.A. Timofeyev, I.A. Isayev, V.N. Tronin,