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Presenter: Zahra Albu
Supervisor: Dr. Chris Papadopoulos

Date: Wed, April 23, 2014
Time: 10:00:00 - 11:00:00
Place: EOW 430

ABSTRACT

ABSTRACT:

Solution-processed silicon nanoparticles are promising candidates for low-cost solar cells and other thin film devices. However, controlling the properties of silicon nanoparticles is quite a challenge, in particular size and shape, which effect device performance. To address these challenges, we investigate silicon nanoparticles via quantum mechanical modeling and synthesis of silicon nanoparticle films via colloidal grinding.

Silicon nanoparticles with shapes including cubic, rectangular, ellipsoidal and flat disk are modeled using semi-empirical methods and configuration interaction. The results showed that the electronic properties of these nanoparticles are affected by both size and shape, as well as by surface passivation. Silicon nanoparticles were synthesized via colloidal grinding as a straightforward and inexpensive route to produce fine silicon nanoparticles. SEM images demonstrated that colloidal grinding is effective in reducing the Si particle size to sub-micron in a short grinding time. Further increases in grinding time, followed by filtration demonstrated a narrowing of the Si particle size and size-distribution to an average size of 70 nm. Raman spectroscopy and EDS data indicated that the Si nanoparticles likely contained oxygen on their surface.