Investigation of Ag nanoparticles produced by nanosecond pulsed laser ablation in water

A study is presented of the properties of Ag nanoparticles produced by nanosecond pulsed laser ablation in twice-distilled water. An Ag target was immersed in the liquid and irradiated by the fundamental, second, third and fourth harmonics of a Nd:YAG laser system to create different colloids. Two specific boundary values of the laser fluence were applied for each wavelength. The properties of the nanoparticles at different wavelengths of the laser radiation were examined. The characterization of the colloids was performed immediately after their fabrication. Spherical and spherical-like shapes of the nanoparticles created were established. The formation of nanowires was observed when the second and the third harmonics of the laser were used. It is connected with self-absorption of the incident laser light from the already-created nanoparticles and depends also on the laser fluence. The size distribution of the nanoparticles is estimated by transmission electron microscopy. Generally, their mean size and standard deviation decreased as the wavelength of the incident laser light was increased and increased with the increase of the laser fluence. The substantial discrepancy between the results already commented on for both characteristics considered and others, obtained by dynamic light scattering, is discussed. The structure of the nanoparticles was established to be single and polycrystalline, and the phase composition in both cases is identified as consisting of cubic silver. The nanoparticles are slightly oxidized.