Optical properties of composite thin films containing silver nanoparticles

Absorption and reflection of electromagnetic radiation by a composite thin film consisting of a transparent dielectric matrix with inclusions of metal nanoparticles of radius much less than the wavelength were theoretically investigated based on the Maxwell–Garnett model. The absorption, reflection, and transmission of optical radiation in such a dielectric composite film were analyzed using effective optical parameters for the refractive index and absorption coefficient that depended on the nanoparticle size.