MATRIX EMBEDDED METAL AND SEMICONDUCTOR NANOPARTICLES

摘要

This survey comprises the second of three articles on structural characterization of nanoparticles by electron microscopy. It is devoted to TEM investigation of nanoparticles embedded in a matrix so as to form a composite of unique properties closely related not only to their nanoscale dimensions, but also to structural characteristics and dielectric properties of the surrounding medium. By presenting results of studies on selected examples, electron microscopy techniques directed to the particular issue of the respective material shall be imparted. These examples are (ⅰ) silica-supported Ag catalyst nanoparticles from a sol-gel route of synthesis, (ⅱ) Si and CdSe nanoparticles in silicon suboxide, produced both by physical vapor deposition (PVD) and thermal processing, and (ⅲ) Ag nanoparticles in glass fabricated by multiple processing of commercial float glass.