eprintid: 1473270
rev_number: 26
eprint_status: archive
userid: 608
dir: disk0/01/47/32/70
datestamp: 2015-12-15 15:03:38
lastmod: 2021-09-19 23:49:20
status_changed: 2015-12-15 15:03:38
type: article
metadata_visibility: show
creators_name: Gould, AL
creators_name: Kadkhodazadeh, S
creators_name: Wagner, JB
creators_name: Catlow, CRA
creators_name: Logsdail, AJ
creators_name: Di Vece, M
title: Understanding the thermal stability of silver nanoparticles embedded in a-Si
ispublished: pub
divisions: UCL
divisions: B04
divisions: C06
divisions: F56
note: © 2015 American Chemical Society. This is an open access article published under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the author and source are cited.
abstract: The inclusion of silver plasmonic nanoparticles in silicon is highly relevant for photovoltaics as it may enhance optical absorption. We report an investigation of the stability of such pristine silver nanoparticles embedded in a-Si upon heat treatment. We have investigated the morphological changes via in situ and ex situ high-resolution and high-angle annular darkfield scanning transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM and HAADF STEM). The melting of Ag particles and subsequent interdiffusion of Ag and Si atoms are strongly related to the size of the Ag nanoparticles, as well as the presence of surface imperfections. Partial voids in the amorphous-Si framework are formed where sections of the Ag nanoparticles are found 
preferentially to diffuse away due to geometric instability. Computational simulations using ensemble molecular dynamics confirm the experimental results: the structural properties of the amorphous-Si environment are important as well as incomplete packing of the Ag nanoparticle surfaces. These factors affect the melting temperature, causing some parts of the Ag nanoparticles to dissolve preferentially and other areas to remain stable at high temperatures.
date: 2015-10-15
date_type: published
official_url: http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpcc.5b07324
oa_status: green
full_text_type: pub
primo: open
primo_central: open_green
verified: verified_manual
elements_id: 1062290
doi: 10.1021/acs.jpcc.5b07324
lyricists_name: Catlow, Charles
lyricists_name: Logsdail, Andrew
lyricists_id: CRACA43
lyricists_id: ALOGS17
actors_name: Catlow, Charles
actors_name: Poirier, Elizabeth
actors_id: CRACA43
actors_id: EPPOI23
actors_role: owner
actors_role: impersonator
full_text_status: public
publication: Journal of Physical Chemistry C
volume: 119
number: 41
pagerange: 23767-23773
issn: 1932-7447
citation:        Gould, AL;    Kadkhodazadeh, S;    Wagner, JB;    Catlow, CRA;    Logsdail, AJ;    Di Vece, M;      (2015)    Understanding the thermal stability of silver nanoparticles embedded in a-Si.                   Journal of Physical Chemistry C , 119  (41)   pp. 23767-23773.    10.1021/acs.jpcc.5b07324 <https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpcc.5b07324>.       Green open access   
 
document_url: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/1473270/1/acs.jpcc.5b07324.pdf