Photoluminescence of C60 nanocrystals embedded in a SiO matrix

Nanometer-sized C-60 crystals in a SiO matrix were grown by an inert gas evaporation method. The size of the nanocrystal was varied by changing the evaporation time of the SiO material. We have successfully prepared well-dispersed (C-60)(n) nanocrystals (n similar to 10(3)) with a narrow size distribution in SiO. The photoluminescence of the C-60 nanocrystals in SiO has been investigated and-we have found that the photoluminescence spectra were significantly different from that of the C-60 solid form (C-60 film). Results indicate that the vibronic coupling of the C-60 nanocrystals in SiO is strong compared with that of the solid form of C-60. (C) 1998 American Institute of Physics.