The influence of annealing conditions on the growth and structure of embedded Pt nanocrystals

Abstract

The growth and structure of Pt nanocrystals (NCs) formed by ion implantation in a-SiO₂ has been investigated as a function of the annealing conditions. Transmission electron microscopy and small-angle x-ray scatteringmeasurements demonstrate that the annealing ambient has a significant influence on NC size. Samples annealed in either Ar, O₂, or forming gas (95% N₂: 5% H₂) at temperatures ranging from 500 °C–1300 °C form spherical NCs with mean diameters ranging from 1–14 nm. For a given temperature, annealing in Ar yields the smallest NCs. O₂ and forming gas ambients produce NCs of comparable size though the latter induces H chemisorption at 1100 °C and above, as verified with x-ray absorption spectroscopy. This H intake is accompanied by a bond-length expansion and increased structural disorder in NCs of diameter >3 nm.