Effects of Laser Energy Density on Silicon Nanoparticles Produced Using Laser Ablation in Liquid

We investigated the morphology of silicon nanoparticles prepared using laser ablation in liquid through varying the energy density and laser irradiation time. Silicon nanoparticles were prepared using laser ablation in liquid. A silicon wafer was irradiated in ethanol using a laser beam (Nd: YAG/second harmonic generation, 532 nm). Crystalline silicon nanoparticles approximately 6 nm in size were observed by TEM observation. The quantity of silicon nanoparticles proportionally increased with an increase in energy density greater than the laser ablation threshold. This quantity also increased with an increase in laser irradiation time without saturation due to absorption of the nanoparticles in liquid in the light path.