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Title: Simultaneous solution-based generation and characterization of crystalline bismuth thin film by femtosecond laser spectroscopy

Journal Article · · Applied Physics Letters
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4928483· OSTI ID:22489081
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  1. Department of Chemistry, Oregon State University, 153 Gilbert Hall, Corvallis, Oregon 97331-4003 (United States)

We demonstrate generation and characterization of crystalline bismuth thin film from triphenyl bismuth in methanol. Upon ultraviolet (267 nm) femtosecond laser irradiation of the solution, a thin film of elemental bismuth forms on the inner side of the sample cuvette, confirmed by detection of the coherent A{sub 1g} optical phonon mode of crystalline bismuth at ∼90 cm{sup −1}. Probe pulses at 267 and 400 nm are used to elucidate the excited state potential energy surface and photochemical reaction coordinate of triphenyl bismuth in solution with femtosecond resolution. The observed phonon mode blueshifts with increasing irradiation time, likely due to the gradual thickening of nascent bismuth thin film to ∼80 nm in 90 min. From transient absorption with the 400 nm probe, we observe a dominant ∼4 ps decay time constant of the excited-state absorption signal, which is attributed to a characteristic metal-ligand bond-weakening/breaking intermediate enroute to crystalline metallic thin film from the solution precursor molecules. Our versatile optical setup thus opens an appealing avenue to characterize the laser-induced crystallization process in situ and prepare high-quality thin films and nanopatterns directly from solution phase.

OSTI ID:
22489081
Journal Information:
Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 107, Issue 6; Other Information: (c) 2015 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0003-6951
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English