Work

Green Synthesis of ZnSe Nanoparticles via Laser Fragmentation: Effect of Laser Pulse Energy on Nanoparticle Size and Surface Phonon Modes

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: ZnSe nanoparticles were synthesized via the sustainable laser fragmentation in liquids (LFL) technique using a Nd:YAG laser at 1064 nm. The pulse energy was varied to study its effect on the particle size and vibrational properties. UV–Vis absorption spectra show a blue shift in the absorption edge with a decreasing pulse energy. The sample processed at the lowest pulse energy has the smallest nanoparticles (10.3 nm average), reaches an optical band gap of 2.83 eV, and exhibits a high-energy shoulder attributed to spin–orbit-related transitions. Raman spectra reveal a strong enhancement of the surface phonon mode (231–234 cm−1), where its intensity surpasses that of the longitudinal optical mode, demonstrating the dominant role of surface atoms in the vibrational response. TEM confirms a wide size distribution, i.e., centered at 10.3 ± 6.4 nm, which can account for the simultaneous observation of bulk-like and quantum-confined optical and Raman features. These results show that the pulse energy effectively tunes the nanoparticle size and phonon behavior, positioning LFL as a clean and versatile method for producing ZnSe nanostructures with relevant properties for optoelectronic applications.

Source: Nanomaterials

DOI: 10.3390/nano16030206

Authors: Patricia Maldonado-Altamirano, Maria de los Angeles Hernandez-Perez, Luis Arturo Martínez-Ara, Jorge Sastré-Hernández, Jaime Santoyo-Salazar

Institutions: Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional

Language: English

Topic: Laser-Ablation Synthesis of Nanoparticles

Subfield: Biomedical Engineering

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,896

Funder: Secretaría de Investigación y Posgrado, Instituto Politécnico Nacional