Growth Mechanism and Luminescent Properties of Amorphous SiO(x) Structures via Phase Equilibrium in Binary System

Balloon whisk-like and flower-like SiO(x) tubes with well-dispersed Sn and joining countless SiO(x) loops together induce intense luminescence characteristics in substrate materials. Our synthetic technique called “direct substrate growth” is based on pre-contamination of the surroundings without the intended catalyst and source powders. The kind of supporting material and pressure of the inlet gases determine a series of differently functionalized tube loops, i.e., the number, length, thickness, and cylindrical profile. SiO(x) tube loops commonly twist and split to best suppress the total energy. Photoluminescence and confocal laser measurements based on quantum confinement effect of the embedded Sn nanoparticles in the SiO(x) tube found substantially intense emissions throughout the visible range. These new concepts related to the synthetic approach, pre-pollution, transitional morphology, and permeable nanoparticles should facilitate progress in nanoscience with regard to tuning the dimensions of micro-/nanostructure preparations and the functionalization of customized applications.