Synthesis of SiOC:H nanoparticles by electrical discharge in hexamethyldisilazane and water

Nanoparticles have unique properties and are useful in many applications. Efficient synthesis of high yields of nanoparticles remains a challenge. Here, we synthesized SiOC:H, a low-dielectric-constant material, by electrical discharge at the interface of hexamethyldisilazane and water. The nanoparticle production rate of our technique was ∼17 mg per minute. We used Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning and transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray photoemission spectroscopy to characterize the synthesized material. Heating the nanoparticles to 500 °C for 2 h released hydrogen from CH_x groups and evaporated volatile compounds. Our method to produce high yields of low-dielectric-constant nanoparticles for microelectronic applications is promising.