Skip to main content

Mechanisms of Laser Desorption of Metal Oxide Nanocrystals


EMSL Project ID
42496

Abstract

Laser-induced ablation, desorption and chemical activation techniques form the basis of unique methods for producing novel materials, inducing new chemical functionalities, performing sophisticated chemical analysis and medical procedures. In particular, the interaction of light with nanoscale oxide materials is fundamental for the advancement of photo-catalysis, microelectronics, sensor technology, and materials processing. A variety of spectroscopic techniques have been employed for the characterization of chemically inactive surfaces of cubic alkali halides, MgO and CaO using bulk crystals and samples grown by chemical vapor deposition or reactive ballistic deposition (RBD) techniques. Highly dispersed alkaline earth oxides exhibit many different local surface structures, and, due to the relatively simple cubic structure, constitute model systems for both theoretical and experimental studies. In particular, it has been demonstrated that self-trapping and decomposition of surface excitons plays a major role in photo-induced processes at surfaces of these materials. In this project we will explore whether similar mechanisms are operational in other, more complex oxides, such as ZrO2.

Project Details

Project type
Exploratory Research
Start Date
2010-10-01
End Date
2011-10-03
Status
Closed

Team

Principal Investigator

Alexander Shlyuger
Institution
University College London

Team Members

Matthew Wolf
Institution
University College London

Petr Sushko
Institution
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Wayne Hess
Institution
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Related Publications

Halliday MT, AG Joly, WP Hess, P Sushko, and AL Shluger. 2013. "Mechanisms of Photodesorption of Br Atoms from CsBr Surfaces." Journal of Physical Chemistry C 117(26):13502-13509. doi:10.1021/jp4036343
Sushko PV, AL Shluger, AG Joly, KM Beck, and WP Hess. 2010. "Exciton-driven highly hyperthermal O-atom desorption from nanostructured CaO." PNNL-SA-74573, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA.
Sushko PV, KP Mckenna, D Munoz Ramo, AL Shlyuger, S Stankic, A Sternig, M Muller, and OE Diwald. 2010. "Photoluminescence Properties of Alkaline-Earth Oxide Nanoparticles." ECS Transactions 28(3):67-80. doi:10.1149/1.3367212