A comparative study of size distribution of nanoparticles generated by laser ablation of graphite and tungsten

Nanoparticles (NPs) were generated by ArF excimer laser ablation of graphite and tungsten targets in N-2 ambient at atmospheric pressure. The size distribution of the particles was monitored in situ by a scanning mobility particle sizer (SMPS) system, based on differential mobility analyser. The experimental conditions made possible to record the size distributions in the 7-133-nm diameter range and results are presented for different laser fluences, repetition rates and ablated areas, respectively. Material analysis was performed by photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Raman spectroscopy, X ray diffraction and SEM. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.