Modification of plasmon resonance properties of noble metal nanoparticles inside the glass matrices

The present study focuses on the synthesis of noble metal (Au, Ag) nanoparticles and their incorporation and manipulation in thin film oxide matrix. The structural and functional properties of the nanoparticles embedded in a host matrix of fused SiO₂ films are covered by this research. The effect of post-deposition laser or thermal annealing procedures on the behaviour of laser fabricated composite nanostructures is investigated. The coloration of samples is determined by the nano-sized metal particles in a dielectric matrix, due to a surface plasmon resonance effect of the conductive electrons and respective selective absorption. The laser deposition and annealing are performed by a nanosecond Nd:YAG laser at fourth and third harmonics, respectively. The estimation of the temperature and the heating and cooling rates due to the laser annealing is performed. The influence of the nanosecond UV-laser annealing on the optical spectra and plasmon resonance properties of the samples is investigated. The experimental results indicate that the annealing induces plasmon resonance absorption in Ag/SiO₂ nanocomposite and a red-shift of the existing resonance absorption of Au/SiO₂. The tuning of the optical properties of the samples was interpreted as a function of their morphology and structure, formed at certain parameters in the processing stages of laser deposition and annealing.