Tailored production of nanoparticles in non-equilibrium plasmas

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Jörg Winter
• Subject Area: Optics, Quantum Optics and Physics of Atoms, Molecules and Plasmas
• Term: from 2008 to 2013
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 62666429

The non-equilibrium character of low temperature plasmas provides an excellent source for the production of nanoparticles, which have found various applications in different fields. Besides their very well known use in technological processes (e.g. catalysis, metamaterials) they can also be used in the field of astrophysics (astroanalogs). The common request for all these applications is the production of nanoparticles with variable, tailored characteristics. In this project we will continue our investigations on plasma polymerized dust particles. The goal of the project is the production of nanoparticles with tailored optical properties. In order to produce particles with variable characteristics we will use different kinds of precursor materials: gaseous materials (as acetylene and benzene) and solid materials (as for example graphite or Si-C). The latter materials will be introduced into the plasma chamber by means of physical sputtering and/or by laser evaporation of solid targets. The optical properties of the particles will be analyzed by means of extinction measurements. The Infra-red extinction measurements successfully performed in our previous work on plasma polymerized hydrogenated carbonaceous particles will be extended to a new spectral range (UV-visible) and to new materials. We will focus our investigations mainly on (hydrogenated) carbon-, silicon- and Si-C-networks. The obtained data will be compared with existing interstellar extinction curves.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants