Size and shape dependent lattice parameters of metallic nanoparticles

A model is developed to account for the size and shape dependent lattice parameters of metallic nanoparticles, where the particle shape difference is considered by introducing a shape factor. It is predicted that the lattice parameters of nanoparticles in several nanometers decrease with decreasing of the particle size, which is consistent with the corresponding experimental results. Furthermore, it is found that the particle shape can lead to 10% of the total lattice variation. The model is a continuous media model and can deal with the nanoparticles larger than 1 nm. Since the shape factor approaches to infinity for nanowires and nanofilms, therefore, the model cannot be generalized to the systems of nanowires and nanofilms. For the input parameters are physical constants of bulk materials, therefore, the present model may be used to predict the lattice variation of different metallic nanoparticles with different lattice structures.     

Calibration-free laser-induced plasma analysis of a metallic alloy with self-absorption correction

Identification and concentration measurement of constituent elements of a metallic alloy is demonstrated by calibration-free laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (CF-LIBS) according to a special peak intensity-based model and considering the self-absorption effect. In this procedure, which is based on the line pair ratio method, the effect of line widths, though needs to be theoretically considered, may be approximately ignored. This is mainly true for the multiplet lines, but this property, in the case of some generic spectral lines in a measured spectrum, can be sometimes regarded. Initially, the optical penetration depth and therefrom self-absorption coefficient of each selected spectral line is calculated using the experimental (self-absorbed) intensity of the line. Then, the true (non-self-absorbed) intensity, which is basis of the conventional CF-LIBS calculation, is obtained through a recursive algorithm implemented by the MATLAB programming. In the experimental examination, the recorded spectrum reflects that the metallic alloy is consisted of gold, copper and silver. The concentration of elements is calculated with and without regarding self-absorption correction using 27 trios of spectral lines related to the elements. The average concentrations signify that the measurement error relative to the certified value for the concentration of the gold is modified from 3.56 % in the normal way to 0.34 % after applying self-absorption correction.     

Optical transmission of dielectric layers with metallic nanoparticles inhomogeneously distributed over the sample thickness

Dielectric layers with silver nanoparticles in the bulk, synthesized by the vacuum evaporation of metal onto viscous-flow softened polymer substrates are analyzed. New materials with a nonuniform distribution of nanoparticles over the sample thickness are obtained. Optical characteristics of the composition layers are calculated from the transmission spectra. To calculate the optical spectra, a model of a multilayered plane-parallel film structure is considered. Functions of dielectric constants of separate composition layers are determined using the Bruggeman theory of effective medium. A qualitative agreement between the experimental and simulated optical spectra is achieved taking into account nonuniform distribution of metal nanoparticles over the composition material thickness.     

Optical heterodyne detection of laser-induced gratings

A novel optical arrangement for heterodyne detection of laser-induced gratings based on the use of a phase mask for both excitation and probe beams provides phase stability and control without the need for an active stabilization scheme. The arrangement greatly simplifies the laser-induced grating experiment. The performance of the technique in both transmission and reflection geometries is illustrated through measurements of bulk and surface acoustic waves generated by picosecond laser pulses.     

Optical method for determining the shape anisotropy of sodium nanoparticles in an island film

The optical anisotropy of nanoparticle ensembles on transparent dielectric substrates is studied by fluctuation-polarization microscopy. The method is based on measuring fluctuations in the optical characteristics of small areas of a film. The hypothesis that the resonance absorption peaks correspond to the plasma oscillation modes in different directions of sodium particles, which are simulated by three-axial ellipsoids, is confirmed by the frequency dispersion of the polarization signal.     

Optical bistability in plasmonic nanoparticles: Effect of size,shape and embedding medium

We theoretically investigate the optical bistability, which one input signal allows two possible outputs, from single spherical/cylindrical nanoparticles and also nanoshells in the frame work of quasi-static formalism. It is shown that the bistability behavior greatly depends on several parameters such as the nanoparticle size, material and the surrounding dielectric environment. We demonstrated the width of the bistability region and also the bistable threshold depends on the geometrical parameters, and can be tuned by adjusting the size of nanoparticle, the shell thickness and the dielectric constant of the embedding medium. It is also shown that the optical bistable behavior depends strongly on the shape of plasmonic nanoparticles and nanoshells. However, these dependences of optical bistability of spherical/cylindrical nanoparticles and nanoshells on changing of their geometrical parameters can be used for realize optical switching and sensing purposes.     

Optical characterization of metallic aerosols

Airborne metallic particulates from industry and urban sources are highly conducting aerosols. The characterization of these pollutant particles is important for environment monitoring and protection. Because these metallic particulates are highly reflective, their effect on local weather or regional radiation budget may also need to be studied. In this work, light scattering characteristics of these metallic aerosols are studied using exact solutions on perfectly conducting spherical and cylindrical particles. It is found that for perfectly conducting spheres and cylinders, when scattering angle is larger than 90° the linear polarization degree of the scattered light is very close to zero. This light scattering characteristics of perfectly conducting particles is significantly different from that of other aerosols. When these perfectly conducting particles are immersed in an absorbing medium, this light scattering characteristics does not show significant change. Therefore, measuring the linear polarization of scattered lights at backward scattering angles can detect and distinguish metallic particulates from other aerosols. This result provides a great potential of metallic aerosol detection and monitoring for environmental protection.     

Optical properties of metallic glasses

Optical reflection spectra of metallic glasses (Pd₈₁Si₁₉ and Pd₈₄Si₁₆) were measured in the spectral range 0.03 to 12 eV and the optical constants were determined by Kramers-Kronig analysis. The experimental reflectivity spectra of glassy Pd₁₈Si₁₉ are similar to the one obtained for Au₈₁Si₁₉ prepared by getter sputtering in argon. However, the energy ranges where intra- and interband optical transitions occur are quite different for the two alloys.     

Optical properties of metallic nanowires

The optical response of metallic nanowires is determined taking into account the non-local electron response by use of a self-consistent method and a jellium model. An exact formula for the reflection factor is obtained in the usual case of an hydrodynamic dielectric function. Up to a constant factor it coincides with the non-retarded limit of the amplitude obtained in a previous calculation, leading finally to the same extinction function. This function is calculated for certain metallic nanowires of experimental interest (Na, Ag). From the non-retarded near field response, the scattering amplitude at any distance can be derived.     

Optical characterization of laser-induced crystallized silicon films

Optical absorption coefficient spectra of thin silicon films were precisely investigated using a simple reflectance system with total reflectance mirrors placed on the rear side of samples in order to cancel an interference effect in a range between 1.1 eV and 3 eV. The absorption coefficient decreased according to crystallization as the laser energy increased and it got similar to that of single crystalline silicon in the range of 1.7 eV 3 eV. However, the absorption coefficient was higher than 10² cm^–1 in the photon energy lower than 1.3 eV. This probably results from band tail states caused by defect states localized at grain boundaries in the crystallized films. 2.5%-phosphorus doped laser crystallized silicon films had a high optical absorption coefficient ( > 10⁴ cm^–1) in the low photon energy range (1.1 eV 1.7 eV) caused by free carriers produced from the dopant atoms activated in the silicon films. The experimental results gave the carrier density of 1.3 × 10²¹ cm³ and the carrier mobility of 20 cm²/Vs.     

Experimental analysis of shape deformation of evaporating droplet using Legendre polynomials

Experiments involving heating of liquid droplets which are acoustically levitated, reveal specific modes of oscillations. For a given radiation flux, certain fluid droplets undergo distortion leading to catastrophic bag type breakup. The voltage of the acoustic levitator has been kept constant to operate at a nominal acoustic pressure intensity, throughout the experiments. Thus the droplet shape instabilities are primarily a consequence of droplet heating through vapor pressure, surface tension and viscosity. A novel approach is used by employing Legendre polynomials for the mode shape approximation to describe the thermally induced instabilities. The two dominant Legendre modes essentially reflect (a) the droplet size reduction due to evaporation, and (b) the deformation around the equilibrium shape. Dissipation and inter-coupling of modal energy lead to stable droplet shape while accumulation of the same ultimately results in droplet breakup.     

Optical properties of laser-induced heavily doped Si

An analysis of recently reported experimental studies⁽¹⁾ of the optical properties of laser-induced heavily doped Si layers is presented here. The analysis has been made on the basis of models like those of Penn⁽²⁾ and Breckenridge et al.⁽³⁾ Our calculations show that, in general, N_eff, the effective number of electrons contributing to optically induced electronic transitions, increases as does ε₂(E), the imaginary part of the complex dielectric constant. This reflects an increased absorption coefficient for these As-doped samples. These studies have been carried out on samples of Si heavily doped by ion-implantation followed by a laser-annealing process. The conclusions based on these studies are seen to be in accord with those of Aspnes et al.⁽⁴⁾ and Vina and Cardona.⁽⁵⁾     

Finite element analysis of three-dimensional laser-induced transient thermal grating in diamond/ZnSe system

This paper uses finite element method to obtain the three-dimensional temperature field of laser-induced transient thermal grating （TTG） for two-layered structure of diamond film on ZnSe substrate. The numerical results indicate that unique two-times heating process is gradually experienced in the area between two adjacent grating stripes. However, there is a little change for the temperature field along the depth direction for the diamond film due to its great thermal conductivity. It further finds that the thickness of the diamond film has a significant influence on the temperature field in diamond/ZnSe system. The results are useful for the application of laser-induced TTG technique in film/substrate system.     

Excimer laser photofragmentation of metallic nanoparticles

Copper nanoparticles (Cu NPs) were prepared by different chemical methods possessing different sizes. While, silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) were prepared by borohydride reduction method. The influences the changes in sizes of Ag NPs and Cu NPs were demonstrated by the absorption spectra. When Ag NPs and Cu NPs irradiated with 193 and 308 nm excimer laser, respectively; the maximum absorption decreased as the number of pulses increased up to 10 thousands pulse; due to the size reduction. The TEM photography gives good criteria about the size reduction process. Moreover, the mechanism of photofragmentation was described.     

Surface modification of metallic Co nanoparticles

Monodisperse Co nanoparticles were synthesized by thermal decomposition in the presence of aluminium alkyls yielding air-stable Co nanoparticles after surface passivation. Several procedures for surface modification of these pre-stabilized, metallic Co nanoparticles are presented, including direct anchoring of surface-active functional groups and biocompatible dextran layers as well as silica and polymer coatings. As a result, individually coated nanoparticles as well as microspheres can be obtained.     

Scattering behavior of nonabsorbing metallic nanoparticles

The optical property of nanosized metallic particles is unique and size-dependent, which cause color variation. In this work, the relationship between diameter and refractive index of nonabsorbing metallic nanoparticles and their scattering properties is studied by using Mie theory. Obtained results indicate that the optical scattering of metallic nanoparticle depends on their refractive index and diameter. The effect of refractive index on optical scattering depends on the nanoparticle diameter. So that, for very fine nanoparticle (10 nm diameter) the effect of refractive index on scattering is not significant. But the effect of refractive index of large size nanoparticle (700–900 nm diameter) on their optical scattering is higher than fine and medium size nanoparticles. The wavelength with maximum scattering depends on refractive index and nanoparticles diameter. In addition, the colorimetric study indicates that the color of nanoparticle depends on their size and refractive index. So that, the lightness, hue, and colorfulness of nanoparticles is changed by changing size and refractive index.     

Analysis of the three-dimensional tongue shape using a three-index factor analysis model

Three-dimensional tongue shape during vowel production is analyzed using the three-mode PARAFAC (parallel factors) model. Three-dimensional MRI images of five speakers (9 vowels) are analyzed. Sixty-five virtual fleshpoints (13 segments along the rostral-caudal dimension and 5 segments along the right-left direction) are chosen based on the interpolated tongue shape images. Methods used to adjust the alignment of MRI images, to set up the fleshpoints, and to measure the position of the fleshpoints are presented. PARAFAC analysis of this 3D coordinate data results in a stable two-factor solution that explains about 70% of the variance.