This image is a result of electrospray deposition of ultra-small luminescent 3 nm silicon nanoparticles from alcohol solution. The nanoparticles are deposited onto a silicon wafer and imaged with atomic force microscope. The pedestals of the "islands" are single-nanoparticle (3 nm) layers while the "peaks" contain several nanoparticles on top of each other. Vertical scale is elongated compared to lateral dimensions.The average diameter of an island is 200 microns. In our research we study different aspects of physics and applications of Si nanoparticles: from biomedicine to high energy. The electrospray is used for thin film deposition and for fabrication and studying single layer formations of nanoparticles. Si nanoparticles are applied in electronic devices, solar cells, UV detectors, displays, luminescent microcontainers for imaging and tracking and are proposed to be used in cancer treatment
