Synthesis of Ge and Si nanoparticles by spark discharge

Abstract

The production of airborne nanoparticles by multi gap spark discharge generators is shown to be feasible for semiconductors on the example of erosion germanium and silicon electrodes in inert atmosphere. Pure silicon and germanium crystalline nanoparticles with the mean diameter less than 15 nm combined in submicron agglomerates were obtained. Since the presence of residual oxygen in the setup partially oxidized silicon nanoparticles and core-shell germanium structures with pure Ge core and oxidized shell were also observed in the samples. This continuous nanoparticles production technique enables direct impaction of prepared nanoparticles onto a liquid or substrate for applications in the fields of electronics, biomedicine and energetics.