Preparation of Silcon Nanoparticles and Films By Pulsed Laser Deposition

Silicon films and nanoparticles were prepared by pulsed laser deposition under irradiation of crystalline silicon targets in residual inert gas atmosphere. Properties the prepared samples were investigated by means of the scanning probe microscopy. Keywords: pulsed laser deposition, scanning probe microscopy, silicon film, nanoparticles

Unusual properties and features of oxygen nonstoichiometry of La-Sr manganites with manganese replacement by a combination of nickel and germanium

When studying manganites of the system La1-cSrcMn1-x(Ni2+ 0.5Ge4+ 0.5)xO3+γ (x = 0.05; 0.10; 0.15; 0.15 c 0.35), it was experimentally established that after reductive annealing, which leads the oxygen content to the stoichiometric one, unit cell volume (v) of the samples decreases and at c 0.19 it is less than after annealing in oxygen. Based on the analysis of various charge compensation mechanisms using derived dependences of v on the oxygen content and taking into account the changes in magnetic and electrical parameters, it is established that experimental data can be explained only with the allowance for formation of singly charged oxygen ions. The relationships between magnetic parameters of the manganites and their composition, structural characteristics and deviations from oxygen stoichiometry are explained. The possibility of local ferromagnetic ordering of uncompensated spins of Ni2+ ions due to their interaction with singly charged O- anions is considered. © Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd

Effects of long storage in La-Sr manganites with pared divalent and quadrivalent substituents for manganese

The results of investigation on the ageing of ceramic manganites La1-cSrcMn0.90Ni0.05Ge0.05O3+γ and La1-cSrcMn0.90Zn0.05Ti0.05O3+γ (c = 0.15, 0.17, 0.19) during long-term storage at normal conditions are presented. Unit cell volume of all manganites having rhombohedral structure decreased over time. The width of X-ray diffraction reflexes from (Ni,Ge)-compositions varied irregularly within the measurement error, and the width of reflexes from (Zn,Ti)-contained manganites decreased significantly. Magnetization of all samples increased in the end of storage period. Curie point of compositions with c > 0.17 exhibited some trend of increase. Ageing leaded to the lowering of "metal-semiconductor" transition temperature in (Ni,Ge)-substituted manganites. (Zn,Ti)-contained compositions showed only semiconductor behavior in investigated temperature range from 100 to 300 K, and the changes of their magnetic parameters were most considerable. The increase in magnetization and Curie point reached 7.5 % and 11 %, respectively. Possible mechanisms of ageing in considered materials are discussed in terms of oxidation processes, formation of microinhomogeneities and relaxation of internal stresses. © Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd

Photoluminescent Si-based nanocrystals prepared by pulsed laser ablation in low-pressure helium-nitrogen mixtures for biomedical applications

International audienceNanocrystalline silicon (Si) films were synthesized by nanosecond laser ablation of crystalline Si targets in low-pressure helium (He) and nitrogen (N2) gas mixtures. Photoluminescence (PL) spectra of the prepared samples were found to depend on the He/N2 ratio in the gas mixture. The ablation pure He atmosphere allowed us to prepare Si nanocrystals (NCs) exhibiting a PL band in red-near-IR range, while samples prepared in the presence of N2 exhibited a strong PL band with maximum in the green-yellow region. Such a modification of PL properties can be explained by the presence of amorphous Si oxynitride (a-SiNxOy) at the surface of Si nanocrystals. Structural studies of the prepared samples by means of the scanning electron microscopy revealed different morphology for Si-NCs produced under different gas mixtures. After treating of the films by ultrasound and dispersing in water, Si-NCs can be used as novel biodegradable markers for bioimaging, while the observed spectral tailoring effect makes possible an adjustment of the PL emission of such markers to a concrete bioimaging task