Dark-field microscopy studies of single silicon nanoparticles fabricated by e-beam evaporation technique: effect of thermal annealing, polarization of light and deposition parameters.

Herein, we report the dark-field microscopic studies on single silicon nanoparticles (SiNPs) fabricated using different deposition parameters in the electron beam (e-beam) evaporation technique. The morphology of the fabricated SiNPs is studied using the Atomic Force Microscope. Later, for the first time, the effect of thermal annealing and deposition parameters (i.e., beam current and deposition time) on the far-field scattering images and spectra of single SiNPs is studied using a transmission-mode dark-field optical microscope to estimate the wavelength locations and full-width at half maxima of the optical resonances of single SiNPs. Finally, the role of polarization of incident light on the optical resonances of single SiNPs is also studied by recording their scattering images and spectra.&#xD.