Claims
- 1. A process for producing nano-scale particles comprising the steps of:
- a. placing a substrate on a rotatable specimen holder that is inside a reactive chamber, where said specimen holder is rotatable by a drive source;
- b. filling said reactive chamber with a liquid precursor solution to a level above said substrate;
- c. rotating said specimen holder and therefore said substrate by engaging said drive source;
- d. irradiating said rotating substrate and said liquid precursor solution with a laser beam;
- e. removing irradiated liquid precursor solution from said reactive chamber; and
- f. separating nano-scale particles from the irradiated liquid precursor solution by use of a centrifugal separator.
- 2. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein said reactive chamber is filled with liquid precursor solution until it is at a level of about 3 to 4 millimeters above said substrate.
- 3. The process as claimed in claim 2, wherein said specimen holder and said substrate are rotated at a range from 0 to 1000 revolutions per minute.
- 4. The process as claimed in claim 3, wherein said substrate and liquid precursor solution are irradiated for a time period of 3 to 7 minutes.
- 5. A process for producing nano-scale particles comprising the steps of:
- a. mixing a liquid precursor solution with a carrier gas creating a mixture for injection into a plasma nozzle;
- b. irradiating said mixture with a laser beam while said mixture is flowing through said plasma nozzle;
- c. allowing nano-scale particles to settle from said irradiated mixture into a collection chamber;
- d. allowing remaining gases to vent from said collection chamber;
- and collecting said nano-scale particles from said collection chamber.
- 6. The process as claimed in claim 5, wherein said carrier gas and liquid precursor are injected separately into an axial flow plasma nozzle in a parallel direction to said laser beam direction.
- 7. The process as claimed in claim 6, wherein said liquid precursor is atomized as it is injected into the axial flow plasma nozzle.
- 8. The process as claimed in claim 5, wherein said carrier gas and liquid precursor are premixed and injected into a transverse flow plasma nozzle in a direction perpendicular to said laser beam.
GOVERNMENT SPONSORSHIP
This invention was made with Government support under Contract No. N00039-C-92-0100 awarded by the U.S. Department of the Navy. The Government has certain rights in the invention.
US Referenced Citations (2)
Number |
Name |
Date |
Kind |
4482375 |
Sastry et al. |
Nov 1984 |
|
4689074 |
Seaman et al. |
Aug 1987 |
|