Fabrication and fluence dependent growth of Ni nanoparticles in quartz matrix using a low energy ion implantation followed by thermal annealing are reported. 100 keV Ni ions are implanted (at room temperature) in quartz at different ion fluences using a low energy ion beam facility. The samples are postannealed at 600 degrees C and then characterized using atomic force microscopy, magnetic force microscopy, field cooled and zero field cooled magnetization measurements, x-ray absorption spectroscopy, and UV-visible spectroscopy. Nanoclusters of Ni of nearly uniform size are synthesized at an ion fluence of 5x10(16) ions/cm(2). The size of these nanoclusters could be varied by varying ion fluence. Formation of NiO nanoclusters is observed for ion fluence of 2x10(17) ions/cm(2). (c) 2008 American Vacuum Society.