Excimer laser ablation of a Pt target in water: the observation of hollow particles

Micro/nanoparticles were fabricated by pulsed-excimer-laser ablation of a Pt target in water. Three kinds of hollow Pt particles (coalesced by micrograins, assembled by nanocrystals or with smooth shells) were observed together with solid particles using different laser fluences (2.3-6.8 J cm(-2)) and after 6000 laser shots. We propose that the hollow particles were formed on laser-produced bubbles which provided thermodynamically preferred nucleation sites and diffusion sinks for the laser-fabricated Pt clusters or particles. Although the hollow particles are a small proportion, the results have extended the scope of particles that pulsed-laser ablation in liquid can fabricate, and have enriched the mechanistic scenario of laser ablation and nanostructure formation in liquid.