Structural and optical properties of single and bilayer silver and gold films

Physics of the Solid State - An experimental study of structural and optical properties of silver and gold thin films, as well as bilayer films based on these metals, has been carried out. To study...     

Laser sintering of silver nanoparticle thin films: microstructure and optical properties

We present a method for the sintering of silver (Ag) nanoparticle thin films by millisecond pulsed laser irradiation. The microstructure of sintered thin films and sintering behaviors of nanoparticles were systematically investigated in this paper. Absorption spectra of sintered thin films showed blue-shifted surface plasmon resonances (SPR) from 500 nm to 480 nm and red-shifted from 480 nm to 550 nm when laser power was varied from 100 W to 140 W and from 140 W to 200 W, respectively. This indicates a new technique to control light absorption through joining nanoparticles with laser sintering. According to theoretical calculations based on a heat diffusion model, the melting temperature of these Ag nanoparticles was estimated to be 440 °C during laser irradiation.     

Nano-structural characteristics and optical properties of silver chiral nano-flower sculptured thin films

Silver chiral nano-flowers with 3-, 4- and 5-fold symmetry were produced using oblique angle deposition method in conjunction with the rotation of sample holder with different speeds at different sectors of each revolution corresponding to symmetry order of the acquired nano-flower. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), were employed to obtain morphology and nano-structure of the films. Optical characteristics of silver chiral nano-flower thin films were obtained using single beam spectrophotometer with both s- and p-polarization incident light at 30° and 70° incidence angles and at different azimuthal angles (φ). Optical spectra showed both TM (TDM (transverse dipole mode) and TQM (transverse quadruple mode)) and LM (longitudinal mode) Plasmon resonance peaks. For 3- and 4-fold symmetry chiral nano-flowers the s-polarization extinction spectra obtained at different azimuthal angles did not show significant change in the Plasmon peak position while 5-fold symmetry chiral nano-flower showed a completely different behavior, which may be the result of increased surface anisotropy, so when the φ angle is changed the s-polarization response from the surface can change more significantly than that for lower symmetries. In general, for 3-, 4- and 5-fold symmetry chiral nano-flowers a sharp peak at lower wavelengths (<450 nm) is observed in the s-polarization spectra, while in addition to this peak a broad peak at longer wavelengths (i.e., LM) observed in the p-polarization spectra, which is more dominant for 70° incidence angle.     

功能光学纳米Ag薄膜的制备及其光学特性研究

对以热蒸发法制备的超薄Ag薄膜,扫描电子显微镜结果显示其呈纳米尺度的颗粒状,由透射谱测量发现其具有表面等离子体激元特征.检测到不同条件制备纳米Ag薄膜的表面等离子体共振吸收峰的位移规律,且纳米Ag材料具有选择性的透过、反射特性.通过不同的制备条件,得到了在长波范围内透过率超过90％、在表面等离子体共振峰值位置处反射率接近50％且峰位可调的光学薄膜材料.这种薄膜材料有望成为应用在薄膜太阳电池中间层中具有潜在性光管理功能的光学薄膜材料. 关键词： 热蒸发 纳米Ag薄膜 表面等离子体激元 光管理     

Effects of chlorine gas exposure on the optical properties of rhodium phthalocyanine films

We investigated the effects of exposing rhodium phthalocyanine films deposited on glass substrates by the Lagmuir-Blodgett technique to chlorine gas. The visual aspect of the films is altered upon chlorination, changing in color from blue to transparent. We performed optical absorption and Raman Scattering measurements on our films prior to and after exposing it to chlorine gas. We observed a pronounced quenching of the characteristic triplet centered around the Q-absorption band at 662 nm as a result of chlorine incorporation. Another absorption band, in the near UV part of the spectrum, is not greatly affected by the process. No new optical structures appear as a consequence of chlorination. Equivalent effects were observed in the Raman spectra. Leaving the previously exposed films in air for several hours results in a slow partial recovery of the optical spectra. This recovery, as well as the amount of original quenching, depends on the amount of time during which the film was exposed to chlorine.     

Effect of ambient gas on structural and optical properties of titanium oxynitride films

Titanium oxynitride films have been deposited on glass substrates by reactive RF magnetron sputtering of titanium target. The influence of oxygen partial pressure in N₂ + Ar and N₂ + He mixtures was examined on structural and optical properties of titanium oxynitride films. The prepared samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, EDS, surface profilometer, AFM and contact angle measurement system. With increase in oxygen partial pressure, the grain size decreases from ∼70 nm to ∼50 nm in N₂ + Ar mixture, while from ∼60 nm to ∼37 nm in N₂ + He mixture. The thickness calculated from optical transmission data and surface profilometer is in good agreement with each other. The deposited samples are hydrophobic by nature and the contact angle was found to decrease with increase in oxygen partial pressure. Samples prepared in oxygen partial pressure ≥5.5% show transmittance of about 97% in the visible region of the spectrum in both N₂ + Ar and N₂ + He mixtures. The atomic mass of the sputtering gas (Ar and He) significantly affects the primary crystallite size, orientation as well as band gap. We were able to relate the better crystallisation of titanium atoms with low partial pressure of oxygen when films are deposited in helium instead of argon due to Penning ionization.     

Effect of implantation regimes of silver ions on the structure and optical properties of zinc-oxide nanocrystalline films

Thin (about 270 nm) nanocrystalline films of zinc oxide (ZnO) are obtained on quartz substrates using ion sputtering and irradiated with Ag⁺ ions at an energy of 30 keV and relatively high fluences at ion current densities of 4, 8, and 12 µA/cm². The X-ray analysis, scanning electron microscopy, and optical spectroscopy are used to study the effect of irradiation dose and ion current density on the structural modification and optical properties of the ZnO films. Nontrivial dependences of the structural and optical parameters of the films on the ion irradiation regimes are due to radiation heating and film sputtering under the action of the ion beam, diffusion of impurity, formation of silver nanoparticles in the irradiated layer at high implantation fluences, and the diffusion of implanted impurity at relatively high ion current densities.     

银团簇纳米颗粒的制备及其光吸收谱性质

 采用自悬浮定向流技术制备银团簇纳米颗粒，理论分析了银团簇的成核机理与影响因素，实验研究了制备条件和工艺。结果表明：惰性气体的冷却效率、气体流速和压强、金属熔球的温度和大小是控制颗粒尺寸大小及分布的关键条件，制备粒径小于10 nm的团簇颗粒须采用氦气为载流气体；团簇颗粒流速越大，颗粒粒径越小，尺寸分布越窄，但颗粒生成数量越少。性能表征说明：制备的颗粒呈较规则的球形，为面心立方结构，分散均匀，表面纯净无氧化，粒径分布窄。理论与实验研究了银团簇纳米颗粒的光学吸收谱性质，证明表面等离子共振吸收峰与颗粒的尺寸有很强的相关性，随着颗粒尺寸的减小，由于量子尺寸效应，吸收峰将发生宽化和蓝移。     

银颗粒对Lu2O3:Eu薄膜光学性质影响

采用溶胶凝胶和提拉法制备了含有银颗粒的Lu2O3:Eu薄膜,利用X射线衍射,吸收光谱,光致发光光谱(PL)及荧光衰减光谱对其进行了表征,结果表明:所得材料在800℃下结晶完好,在发射光谱中观察到了银颗粒导致的Eu3 的发光增强效应,讨论了银颗粒对LU2O3:Eu薄膜发光性质的影响.     

Magnetron and pulsed laser deposition of silver and gold nanoparticles and discontinuous films and their optical properties

Ag and Au nanoparticles are obtained by magnetron sputtering and pulsed laser deposition under different conditions, and the features of their absorption spectra associated with plasmon resonances are investigated. Optimal deposition conditions for obtaining small (5?C10 nm) silver nanoparticles with a high density of surface distribution include an increased argon pressure (2.5 × 10^?2 Torr) and a low discharge voltage (100 V). Gold nanoparticle arrays obtained by pulsed laser deposition at a temperature of 200°C in vacuum are more uniformly distributed on the substrates than those deposited at room temperature in argon. It is shown that the maximum of the plasmon absorption shifts toward shorter wavelengths with a decrease in the equivalent thickness of metal films and depends not only on this thickness but also on the type of substrate, which is responsible for the morphology of nanoparticle arrays.     

Dependence of the optical properties of UHV deposited silver thin films on the deposition parameters and their relation to the nanostructure of the films

Silver films were deposited on glass substrates under different deposition conditions, i.e. different film thicknesses, deposition rates and deposition angles. Their optical properties were measured by spectrophotometry in the spectral range of 185–3300 nm. The Kramers–Kronig method was used to analyze the reflectivity curves of the silver films to obtain their optical constants. The influence of substrate temperature on the microstructure of thin metallic films, the structure zone model (SZM), is well established, whereas there has been some previous work on the influence of film thickness and morphology, deposition rate and deposition angle on the microstructure and morphology of thin films. An effective medium approximation (EMA) analysis was used to establish the relationship between the atomic force microscopy results, SZM predictions and EMA results, and hence the optical properties of silver thin films. The predictions of the Drude free-electron theory are compared with experimental results for dielectric functions of Ag films produced under different deposition conditions. The real part of the dielectric constant increases with film thickness and decreases with increasing deposition rate and with increasing incidence angle, whereas the imaginary part of the dielectric constant decreases with increasing film thickness and deposition rate and with decreasing incidence angle over the whole energy range measured, including the interaband and interband regions.     

Polarization properties of porous gold and silver films

Using the method of polarization modulation of electromagnetic radiation and the Kretschmann geometry, we perform comparative studies of surface plasmon resonance in porous and continuous gold and silver films. The spectral dependences of the polarization difference of the reflection coefficients of nano-composites are obtained for the first time and are supplemented by angular characteristics of this parameter. We show that these dependences characterize particular features of the optical properties related to the structure, morphology, and topology of porous films. We reveal that surface plasmon-polaritons and local plasmons in porous films can be excited both by radiation that is p polarized with respect to the plane of incidence, as is the case with continuous films, and by s polarized radiation. We demonstrate that the measurement results can yield information on the structural properties of films, such as their thickness, roughness height, degree of dispersion of nanoparticles, and so on.     

Structure and optical properties of the silver/polyacrylonitrile nanocomposites

Small-angle X-ray scattering is used to prove the formation of silver nanoparticles with sizes of 5–11 nm in siver/polyacrylonitrile nanocomposites synthesized via photopolymerization of a mixture containing silver, acrylonitrile, and photoinitiator. Optical spectra of nanocomposites obtained under different conditions are studied. The absorption spectra exhibit maxima at wavelengths of 420–450 nm related to the surface plasmon resonance of silver nanoparticles. IR spectra of the nanocomposites prove the formation of polyacrylonitrile in the course of the photopolymerization of monomer. The formation of metal nanoimpurities in polymer matrix leads to an increase in the intensity of photoluminescence and Raman scattering of polyacrylonitrile.     

Electrical and optical properties of silver doped indium oxide thin films prepared by reactive DC magnetron sputtering

Silver doped indium oxide (In_2−x Ag_x O_3−y) thin films have been prepared on glass and silicon substrates at room temperature (300 K) by reactive DC magnetron sputtering technique using an alloy target of pure indium and silver (80: 20 atomic %. The magnetron power (and hence the metal atom sputter flux) is varied in the range 40-80 W. The energy dispersive analysis of X-ray (EDAX) results show that the silver content in the film decreases with increasing magnetron power. The grain size of these films is of the order of 100 nm. The resistivity of these films is in the range 10⁻²-10⁻³ Ω cm. The work function of the silver-indium oxide films (by Kelvin Probe) are in the range: 4.64-4.55 eV. The refractive index of these films (at 632.8 nm) varies in the range: 1.141-1.195. The optical band gap of indium oxide (3.75 eV) shrinks with silver doping. Calculations of the partial ionic charge (by Sanderson's theory) show that silver doping in indium oxide thin films enhance the ionicity.     

ZrO2薄膜微观结构和光学性能的研究

无论是在300℃或室温下,用PVD方法淀积的ZrO_2薄膜,达到一定厚度后都出现晶相非均匀性,在基底侧为四方相,空气侧为单斜相.本文给出了ZrO_2薄膜中四方相存在的原因,并用晶体生长过程中的择优生长特性讨论了薄膜柱状体结构的成因,从而解释了薄膜的折射率非均匀性.     

Giant third optical harmonic generation in island silver films

Giant third optical harmonic (TH) generation has been experimentally observed in island silver films. The TH intensity in the island silver films studied is more than two orders of magnitude higher than the value observed for the smooth surface of a homogeneous silver film. The mechanism of enhancement of the nonlinear cubic response is associated with the resonance enhancement of the local optical field at the TH wavelength, which is caused by the excitation of local surface plasmons in the ensemble of metal nanoparticles.     

Synthesis and optical properties of silver nanoparticles in ORMOCER

Experimental results on synthesis of metal nanoparticles in ORMOCER by ion implantation are presented. Silver ions were implanted into organic/inorganic matrix at an accelerating energy of 30?keV and doses in the range of 0.25?10¹⁷ to 0.75?10¹⁷?ion/cm². The silver ions form metal nanoparticles, which demonstrate surface plasmon absorption at the wavelength of 425?C580?nm. The nonlinear absorption of new composite materials is measured by Z-scan technique using 150?fs laser pulses at 780?nm wavelength. ORMOCER matrix shows two-photon nonlinear absorption, whereas ORMOCER with silver nanoparticles demonstrates saturated absorption. Some optical applications of these composite materials are discussed.     

片状三角形银纳米颗粒的自组织行为与光学特性

用化学方法制备了一种规则的片状三角形银纳米颗粒，边长为100±10nm，厚度约为30nm.紫外可见光谱分析表明了三角形银纳米颗粒形貌的完整性.颗粒表面修饰的有机分子，使三角形银纳米颗粒在碳膜上自组织形成二维单层膜，在硅片上形成高取向银膜，该银膜对吡啶分子具有很强的表面增强拉曼散射效应，增强因子可达108.     

片状三角形银纳米颗粒的自组织行为与光学特行

用化学方法制备了一种规则的片状三角形银纳米颗粒,边长为100±10nm,厚度约为30nm.紫外-可见光谱分析表明了三角形银纳米颗粒形貌的完整性.颗粒表面修饰的有机分子,使三角形银纳米颗粒在碳膜上自组织形成二维单层膜,在硅片上形成高取向银膜,该银膜对吡啶分子具有很强的表面增强拉曼散射效应,增强因子可达108.