Heavy-metal-free semiconductor material like Silicon Nanoparticle (Si-NPs) is attracting scientists because of their diverse applications in biomedical field. In this work, pulsed laser ablation of silicon in aqueous solution is employed to generate Si-NPs in one step avoiding use of chemical precursors. Characterization by absorption, electron and photoluminescence analysis proves the generation of luminescent Si-NPs. The productivity rate of Si-NPs is investigated by Inductively Coupled Plasma Spectrometry. Furthermore, Si-NPs quantum yield and confocal microscopy studies corroborate the potential use of these biocompatible Si-NPs for imaging applications.

© 2012 OSA

1. K. Fujioka, M. Hiruoka, K. Sato, N. Manabe, R. Miyasaka, S. Hanada, A. Hoshino, R. D. Tilley, Y. Manome, K. Hirakuri, and K. Yamamoto, “Luminescent passive-oxidized silicon quantum dots as biological staining labels and their cytotoxicity effects at high concentration,” Nanotechnology19(41), 415102 (2008). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
2. M. De, P. S. Ghosh, and V. M. Rotello, “Applications of Nanoparticles in Biology,” Adv. Mater. (Deerfield Beach Fla.)20(22), 4225–4241 (2008). [CrossRef]
3. V. Rotello, Nanoparticle: Building Blocks for Nanotechnology (Springer, 2004), 300 pp.
4. F. Erogbogbo, K. T. Yong, I. Roy, R. Hu, W. C. Law, W. Zhao, H. Ding, F. Wu, R. Kumar, M. T. Swihart, and P. N. Prasad, “In vivo targeted cancer imaging, sentinel lymph node mapping and multi-channel imaging with biocompatible silicon nanocrystals,” ACS Nano5(1), 413–423 (2011). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
5. F. Erogbogbo, K. T. Yong, R. Hu, W. C. Law, H. Ding, C. W. Chang, P. N. Prasad, and M. T. Swihart, “Biocompatible magnetofluorescent probes: luminescent silicon quantum dots coupled with superparamagnetic iron(III) oxide,” ACS Nano4(9), 5131–5138 (2010). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
6. Z. F. Li and E. Ruckenstein, “Water-Soluble Poly(acrylic acid) Grafted Luminescent Silicon Nanoparticles and Their Use as Fluorescent Biological Staining Labels,” Nano Lett.4(8), 1463–1467 (2004). [CrossRef]
7. J. W. Aptekar, M. C. Cassidy, A. C. Johnson, R. A. Barton, M. Lee, A. C. Ogier, C. Vo, M. N. Anahtar, Y. Ren, S. N. Bhatia, C. Ramanathan, D. G. Cory, A. L. Hill, R. W. Mair, M. S. Rosen, R. L. Walsworth, and C. M. Marcus, “Silicon nanoparticles as hyperpolarized magnetic resonance imaging agents,” ACS Nano3(12), 4003–4008 (2009). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
8. L. Xiao, L. Gu, S. B. Howell, and M. J. Sailor, “Porous silicon nanoparticle photosensitizers for singlet oxygen and their phototoxicity against cancer cells,” ACS Nano5(5), 3651–3659 (2011). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
9. D. Kovalev and M. Fujii, “Silicon Nanocrystals: Photosensitizers for Oxygen Molecules,” Adv. Mater. (Deerfield Beach Fla.)17(21), 2531–2544 (2005). [CrossRef]
10. M. Rosso-Vasic, E. Spruijt, Z. Popovic, K. Overgaag, B. Van Lagen, B. Grandidier, D. Vanmaekelbergh, D. Dominguez-Gutierrez, L. De Cola, and H. Zuilhof, “Amine-terminated silicon nanoparticles: synthesis, optical properties and their use in bioimaging,” J. Mater. Chem.19(33), 5926–5933 (2009). [CrossRef]
11. X. Zhang, D. Neiner, S. Wang, A. V. Louie, and S. M. Kauzlarich, “A new solution route to hydrogen-terminated silicon nanoparticles: synthesis, functionalization and water stability,” Nanotechnology18(9), 095601 (2007). [CrossRef]
12. Y. Khang and J. Lee, “Synthesis of Si nanoparticles with narrow size distribution by pulsed laser ablation,” J. Nanopart. Res.12(4), 1349–1354 (2010). [CrossRef]
13. J. Knipping, H. Wiggers, B. Rellinghaus, P. Roth, D. Konjhodzic, and C. Meier, “Synthesis of high purity silicon nanoparticles in a low pressure microwave reactor,” J. Nanosci. Nanotechnol.4(8), 1039–1044 (2004). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
14. S. Barcikowski, F. Devesa, and K. Moldenhauer, “Impact and structure of literature on nanoparticle generation by laser ablation in liquids,” J. Nanopart. Res.11(8), 1883–1893 (2009). [CrossRef]
15. R. Intartaglia, K. Bagga, F. Brandi, G. Das, A. Genovese, E. Di Fabrizio, and A. Diaspro, “Optical Properties of Femtosecond Laser-Synthesized Silicon Nanoparticles in Deionized Water,” J. Phys. Chem. C115(12), 5102–5107 (2011). [CrossRef]
16. R. Intartaglia, A. Barchanski, K. Bagga, A. Genovese, G. Das, P. Wagener, E. Di Fabrizio, A. Diaspro, F. Brandi, and S. Barcikowski, “Bioconjugated silicon quantum dots from one-step green synthesis,” Nanoscale4(4), 1271–1274 (2012). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
17. K. Abderrafi, R. García Calzada, M. B. Gongalsky, I. Suárez, R. Abarques, V. S. Chirvony, V. Y. Timoshenko, R. Ibáñez, and J. P. Martínez-Pastor, “Silicon Nanocrystals Produced by Nanosecond Laser Ablation in an Organic Liquid,” J. Phys. Chem. C115(12), 5147–5151 (2011). [CrossRef]
18. V. Svrcek, D. Mariotti, and M. Kondo, “Ambient-stable blue luminescent silicon nanocrystals prepared by nanosecond-pulsed laser ablation in water,” Opt. Express17(2), 520–527 (2009). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
19. P. G. Kuzmin, G. A. Shafeev, V. V. Bukin, S. V. Garnov, C. Farcau, R. Carles, B. Warot-Fontrose, V. Guieu, and G. Viau, “Silicon Nanoparticles Produced by Femtosecond Laser Ablation in Ethanol: Size Control, Structural Characterization, and Optical Properties,” J. Phys. Chem. C114(36), 15266–15273 (2010). [CrossRef]
20. K. Sasaki and N. Takada, “Liquid-phase laser ablation,” Pure Appl. Chem.82(6), 1317–1327 (2010). [CrossRef]
21. G. Belomoin, J. Therrien, A. Smith, S. Rao, R. Twesten, S. Chaieb, M. H. Nayfeh, L. Wagner, and L. Mitas, “Observation of a magic discrete family of ultrabright Si nanoparticles,” Appl. Phys. Lett.80(5), 841–843 (2002). [CrossRef]
22. P. F. Trwoga, A. J. Kenyon, and C. W. Pitt, “Modeling the contribution of quantum confinement to luminescence from silicon nanoclusters,” J. Appl. Phys.83(7), 3789–3794 (1998). [CrossRef]
23. G. A. Crosby and J. N. Demas, “The measurement of photoluminescence quantum yields,” J. Phys. Chem.75(8), 991–1024 (1971). [CrossRef]
24. J. P. Zimmer, S. W. Kim, S. Ohnishi, E. Tanaka, J. V. Frangioni, and M. G. Bawendi, “Size series of small indium arsenide-zinc selenide core-shell nanocrystals and their application to in vivo imaging,” J. Am. Chem. Soc.128(8), 2526–2527 (2006). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
25. C. L. Sajti, R. Sattari, B. N. Chichkov, and S. Barcikowski, “Gram Scale Synthesis of Pure Ceramic Nanoparticles by Laser Ablation in Liquid,” J. Phys. Chem. C114(6), 2421–2427 (2010). [CrossRef]
26. A. Abdolvand, S. Z. Khan, Y. Yuan, P. L. Crouse, M. J. J. Schmidt, M. Sharp, Z. Liu, and L. Li, “Generation of titanium-oxide nanoparticles in liquid using a high-power, high-brightness continuous-wave fiber laser,” Appl. Phys., A Mater. Sci. Process.91(3), 365–368 (2008). [CrossRef]
27. T. Maldiney, G. Sraiki, B. Viana, D. Gourier, C. Richard, D. Scherman, M. Bessodes, K. Van den Eeckhout, D. Poelman, and P. F. Smet, “In vivo optical imaging with rare earth doped Ca2Si5N8 persistent luminescence nanoparticles,” Opt. Mater. Express2(3), 261–268 (2012). [CrossRef]

ACS Nano

• F. Erogbogbo, K. T. Yong, I. Roy, R. Hu, W. C. Law, W. Zhao, H. Ding, F. Wu, R. Kumar, M. T. Swihart, and P. N. Prasad, “In vivo targeted cancer imaging, sentinel lymph node mapping and multi-channel imaging with biocompatible silicon nanocrystals,” ACS Nano5(1), 413–423 (2011). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• F. Erogbogbo, K. T. Yong, R. Hu, W. C. Law, H. Ding, C. W. Chang, P. N. Prasad, and M. T. Swihart, “Biocompatible magnetofluorescent probes: luminescent silicon quantum dots coupled with superparamagnetic iron(III) oxide,” ACS Nano4(9), 5131–5138 (2010). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• J. W. Aptekar, M. C. Cassidy, A. C. Johnson, R. A. Barton, M. Lee, A. C. Ogier, C. Vo, M. N. Anahtar, Y. Ren, S. N. Bhatia, C. Ramanathan, D. G. Cory, A. L. Hill, R. W. Mair, M. S. Rosen, R. L. Walsworth, and C. M. Marcus, “Silicon nanoparticles as hyperpolarized magnetic resonance imaging agents,” ACS Nano3(12), 4003–4008 (2009). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• L. Xiao, L. Gu, S. B. Howell, and M. J. Sailor, “Porous silicon nanoparticle photosensitizers for singlet oxygen and their phototoxicity against cancer cells,” ACS Nano5(5), 3651–3659 (2011). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Adv. Mater. (Deerfield Beach Fla.)

• D. Kovalev and M. Fujii, “Silicon Nanocrystals: Photosensitizers for Oxygen Molecules,” Adv. Mater. (Deerfield Beach Fla.)17(21), 2531–2544 (2005). [CrossRef]
• M. De, P. S. Ghosh, and V. M. Rotello, “Applications of Nanoparticles in Biology,” Adv. Mater. (Deerfield Beach Fla.)20(22), 4225–4241 (2008). [CrossRef]

Appl. Phys. Lett.

• G. Belomoin, J. Therrien, A. Smith, S. Rao, R. Twesten, S. Chaieb, M. H. Nayfeh, L. Wagner, and L. Mitas, “Observation of a magic discrete family of ultrabright Si nanoparticles,” Appl. Phys. Lett.80(5), 841–843 (2002). [CrossRef]

Appl. Phys., A Mater. Sci. Process.

• A. Abdolvand, S. Z. Khan, Y. Yuan, P. L. Crouse, M. J. J. Schmidt, M. Sharp, Z. Liu, and L. Li, “Generation of titanium-oxide nanoparticles in liquid using a high-power, high-brightness continuous-wave fiber laser,” Appl. Phys., A Mater. Sci. Process.91(3), 365–368 (2008). [CrossRef]

J. Am. Chem. Soc.

• J. P. Zimmer, S. W. Kim, S. Ohnishi, E. Tanaka, J. V. Frangioni, and M. G. Bawendi, “Size series of small indium arsenide-zinc selenide core-shell nanocrystals and their application to in vivo imaging,” J. Am. Chem. Soc.128(8), 2526–2527 (2006). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

J. Appl. Phys.

• P. F. Trwoga, A. J. Kenyon, and C. W. Pitt, “Modeling the contribution of quantum confinement to luminescence from silicon nanoclusters,” J. Appl. Phys.83(7), 3789–3794 (1998). [CrossRef]

J. Mater. Chem.

• M. Rosso-Vasic, E. Spruijt, Z. Popovic, K. Overgaag, B. Van Lagen, B. Grandidier, D. Vanmaekelbergh, D. Dominguez-Gutierrez, L. De Cola, and H. Zuilhof, “Amine-terminated silicon nanoparticles: synthesis, optical properties and their use in bioimaging,” J. Mater. Chem.19(33), 5926–5933 (2009). [CrossRef]

J. Nanopart. Res.

• Y. Khang and J. Lee, “Synthesis of Si nanoparticles with narrow size distribution by pulsed laser ablation,” J. Nanopart. Res.12(4), 1349–1354 (2010). [CrossRef]
• S. Barcikowski, F. Devesa, and K. Moldenhauer, “Impact and structure of literature on nanoparticle generation by laser ablation in liquids,” J. Nanopart. Res.11(8), 1883–1893 (2009). [CrossRef]

J. Nanosci. Nanotechnol.

• J. Knipping, H. Wiggers, B. Rellinghaus, P. Roth, D. Konjhodzic, and C. Meier, “Synthesis of high purity silicon nanoparticles in a low pressure microwave reactor,” J. Nanosci. Nanotechnol.4(8), 1039–1044 (2004). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

J. Phys. Chem.

• G. A. Crosby and J. N. Demas, “The measurement of photoluminescence quantum yields,” J. Phys. Chem.75(8), 991–1024 (1971). [CrossRef]

J. Phys. Chem. C

• C. L. Sajti, R. Sattari, B. N. Chichkov, and S. Barcikowski, “Gram Scale Synthesis of Pure Ceramic Nanoparticles by Laser Ablation in Liquid,” J. Phys. Chem. C114(6), 2421–2427 (2010). [CrossRef]
• R. Intartaglia, K. Bagga, F. Brandi, G. Das, A. Genovese, E. Di Fabrizio, and A. Diaspro, “Optical Properties of Femtosecond Laser-Synthesized Silicon Nanoparticles in Deionized Water,” J. Phys. Chem. C115(12), 5102–5107 (2011). [CrossRef]
• K. Abderrafi, R. García Calzada, M. B. Gongalsky, I. Suárez, R. Abarques, V. S. Chirvony, V. Y. Timoshenko, R. Ibáñez, and J. P. Martínez-Pastor, “Silicon Nanocrystals Produced by Nanosecond Laser Ablation in an Organic Liquid,” J. Phys. Chem. C115(12), 5147–5151 (2011). [CrossRef]
• P. G. Kuzmin, G. A. Shafeev, V. V. Bukin, S. V. Garnov, C. Farcau, R. Carles, B. Warot-Fontrose, V. Guieu, and G. Viau, “Silicon Nanoparticles Produced by Femtosecond Laser Ablation in Ethanol: Size Control, Structural Characterization, and Optical Properties,” J. Phys. Chem. C114(36), 15266–15273 (2010). [CrossRef]

Nano Lett.

• Z. F. Li and E. Ruckenstein, “Water-Soluble Poly(acrylic acid) Grafted Luminescent Silicon Nanoparticles and Their Use as Fluorescent Biological Staining Labels,” Nano Lett.4(8), 1463–1467 (2004). [CrossRef]

Nanoscale

• R. Intartaglia, A. Barchanski, K. Bagga, A. Genovese, G. Das, P. Wagener, E. Di Fabrizio, A. Diaspro, F. Brandi, and S. Barcikowski, “Bioconjugated silicon quantum dots from one-step green synthesis,” Nanoscale4(4), 1271–1274 (2012). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Nanotechnology

• X. Zhang, D. Neiner, S. Wang, A. V. Louie, and S. M. Kauzlarich, “A new solution route to hydrogen-terminated silicon nanoparticles: synthesis, functionalization and water stability,” Nanotechnology18(9), 095601 (2007). [CrossRef]
• K. Fujioka, M. Hiruoka, K. Sato, N. Manabe, R. Miyasaka, S. Hanada, A. Hoshino, R. D. Tilley, Y. Manome, K. Hirakuri, and K. Yamamoto, “Luminescent passive-oxidized silicon quantum dots as biological staining labels and their cytotoxicity effects at high concentration,” Nanotechnology19(41), 415102 (2008). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Opt. Express

• V. Svrcek, D. Mariotti, and M. Kondo, “Ambient-stable blue luminescent silicon nanocrystals prepared by nanosecond-pulsed laser ablation in water,” Opt. Express17(2), 520–527 (2009). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Opt. Mater. Express

• T. Maldiney, G. Sraiki, B. Viana, D. Gourier, C. Richard, D. Scherman, M. Bessodes, K. Van den Eeckhout, D. Poelman, and P. F. Smet, “In vivo optical imaging with rare earth doped Ca2Si5N8 persistent luminescence nanoparticles,” Opt. Mater. Express2(3), 261–268 (2012). [CrossRef]

Pure Appl. Chem.

• K. Sasaki and N. Takada, “Liquid-phase laser ablation,” Pure Appl. Chem.82(6), 1317–1327 (2010). [CrossRef]

Other

• V. Rotello, Nanoparticle: Building Blocks for Nanotechnology (Springer, 2004), 300 pp.

Click here to see a list of articles that cite this paper

Related Journal Articles

• Optical properties of structurally modified glasses doped with gold ions (OL)
• Light propagation tuned by periodic junction-prisms within well-faceted ZnO fibers (OE)
• Diamond nanocrystals hosting single nitrogen-vacancy color centers sorted by photon-correlation near-field microscopy (OL)
• Photoluminescent Characterization of Atomic Diffusion in Core-Shell Nanoparticles (OE)
• Blue-green luminescent silicon nanocrystals fabricated by nanosecond pulsed laser ablation in dimethyl sulfoxide (OME)

Related Conference Papers

• Effects of Gamma Irradiation on Optical Properties of CdSe/ZnS Colloidal Quantum Dots
• Effects of Gamma Irradiation on Optical Properties of CdSe/ZnS Colloidal Quantum Dots
• Femtosecond-Laser Induced Sub-200 nm Structures in TiO²
• Femtosecond-Laser Induced Sub-200 nm Structures in TiO²
• Laser Processing of ZnO Nanocrystals for Fabrication of Ultraviolet Light Emitting Devices