Role of ion density in growth, transport, and morphology of nanoparticles generated in plasmas

Abstract

Spatial distribution, growth, and morphology of the nanoparticle were investigated in the plasmas with relatively low and high ion densities. Our experimental results reveal that cauliflower-shaped amorphous nanoparticles are dominantly distributed throughout the entire plasma in the low ion density plasma while spherical crystalline particles are spread near the plasma edge in the high ion density plasma. Only agglomeration growth step of the nanoparticles was observed without molecular accretion growth step in the high density plasma. Based on the experimental and numerical results, the role of ion density in the growth mechanism and transport of the nanoparticles is discussed. (C) 2012 American Institute of Physics. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4746396]