Tuning of the surface plasmon resonance in TiO{sub 2}/Au thin films grown by magnetron sputtering: The effect of thermal annealing

Journal Article · Fri Apr 01 00:00:00 EDT 2011 · Journal of Applied Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3565066· OSTI ID:21538231

Torrell, M; Kabir, R; Cunha, L; Vasilevskiy, M I; Vaz, F ^[1]; Cavaleiro, A ^[2]; Alves, E; Barradas, N P ^[3]

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1. Centro de Fisica, Universidade do Minho, 4710-057 Braga (Portugal)
2. Departamento de Engenharia Mecanica, SEC-CEMUC, Universidade de Coimbra, Polo II, 3030-788 Coimbra (Portugal)
3. Instituto Tecnologico e Nuclear, Departamento de Fisica, 2686-953 Sacavem (Portugal)

Nanocomposites consisting of a dielectric matrix, such as TiO{sub 2}, with embedded noble metal nanoparticles (NPs) possess specific optical properties due to the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) effect, interesting for several applications. The aim of this work is to demonstrate that these properties are sensitive to the nanostructure of magnetron-sputtered TiO{sub 2}/Au thin films, which can be tuned by annealing. We study the role of the shape and size distribution of the NPs, as well as the influence of the crystallinity and phase composition of the host matrix on the optical response of the films. All these characteristics can be modified by vacuum annealing treatments of the deposited films. A theoretical interpretation and modeling of the experimental results obtained is presented. The model involves a modified Maxwell-Garnett approach for the effective dielectric function of the composite (describing the SPR effect) and the transfer matrix formalism for multilayer optics. Input data are based on the experimental information obtained from the detailed structural characterization of the films. It is shown that the annealing treatments can be used for controlling the optical properties of the composite films, making them attractive for decorative coatings.

• OSTI ID: 21538231
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 109, Issue 7; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.3565066; (c) 2011 American Institute of Physics; ISSN 0021-8979
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY
ANNEALING
COMPOSITE MATERIALS
DEPOSITION
DIELECTRIC MATERIALS
DISTRIBUTION
GOLD
LAYERS
MAGNETRONS
NANOSTRUCTURES
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
RESONANCE
SIMULATION
SPUTTERING
SURFACES
THIN FILMS
TITANIUM OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
ELECTRON TUBES
ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
ELEMENTS
EQUIPMENT
FILMS
HEAT TREATMENTS
MATERIALS
METALS
MICROWAVE EQUIPMENT
MICROWAVE TUBES
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
TITANIUM COMPOUNDS
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS