Silicon Nanoparticles Formed via Pulsed Laser Ablation of Porous Silicon in Liquids

Picosecond pulsed laser ablation of meso- and microporous silicon layers in water and ethanol leads to the formation of nanosilicon suspensions with particle diameters below 100 nm. It is established that the use of porous silicon targets allows the laser ablation threshold to be reduced and the nanoparticle concentration increased as compared to the ablation of crystalline silicon.