Hybrid assembly of double nanofilm as active media for photonic devices

We report on the architecture of a hybrid structure for use as an active part of photonic nanodevices, consisting on a double nanofilm over an active glassy substrate. A metallic thin film is produced on the active substrate by a bottom-up process, characterized by the thermal reduction of Ag+, followed by nucleation and migration of Ag0 nanoparticles to the glass surface. The second nanofilm consists on a photonic rare earth complex, Eu(btfa)3.bipy—and is produced on top of the first one by vacuum-evaporation. The luminescence of the system was followed as a function of its thermal treatment time at the glass transition temperature Tg, and a relationship with the roughness of the metallic film was established for the hybrid assembly produced. The system was characterized using Differential Scanning Calorimetry, Atomic Force Microscopy, Luminescence Spectroscopy, and X-Ray Powder Diffraction. The X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy is presented as a tool to analyze the interactions between each part of a hybrid system. -- Highlights: ► Bottom-up process: Ag+ thermal reduction, nucleation, migration of nanoparticles. ► Roughness-controllable silver metallic nanostructure surface. ► XPS as a smart powerful tool for characterization of hybrid systems. ► Double nanofilm—photonic complex and metallic nanostructures self-formed. ► Europium (Eu3+) luminescence decrease in roughness function