Optical and thermal investigation of GeO2–PbO thin films doped with Au and Ag nanoparticles

• Published in: Thin solid films Vol. 520; no. 7; pp. 2667 - 2671
• Main Authors: Carvalho, E.A., Carmo, A.P., Bell, M.J.V., Anjos, V., Kassab, L.R.P., da Silva, D.M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 31.01.2012; Elsevier
• Subjects: Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Exact sciences and technology; Germanate; Gold nanoparticles; Materials science; Methods of nanofabrication; Nanoscale materials and structures: fabrication and characterization; Optical properties and condensed-matter spectroscopy and other interactions of matter with particles and radiation; Optical properties of specific thin films; Other topics in nanoscale materials and structures; Physics; Raman spectroscopy; Silver nanoparticles; Sputtering; Structure and morphology; thickness; Surfaces and interfaces; thin films and whiskers (structure and nonelectronic properties); Thermal diffusivity; Thermal lens; Thin film structure and morphology; Thin films; Thin films; Thermal lens; Gold nanoparticles; Thermal diffusivity; Raman spectroscopy; Germanate; Silver nanoparticles; Sputtering; Lead oxide; Doping; Surface plasmons; Nanoparticles; Raman scattering; Optical properties; Absorption spectra; Nanomaterial synthesis; Gold; Germanium oxide; Germanates; Thermal properties; Silver; Transmission electron microscopy; Nanostructured materials; Spatial resolution; Concentration distribution
• ISSN: 0040-6090; 1879-2731
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tsf.2011.11.031

The present work reports on the thermo-optical study of germanate thin films doped with Au and Ag nanoparticles. Transmission Electron Microscopy images, UV–visible absorption and Micro-Raman scattering evidenced the presence of nanoparticles and the formation of collective excitations, the so called surface plasmons. Moreover, the effects of the metallic nanoparticles in the thermal properties of the films were observed. The thermal lens technique was proposed to evaluate the Thermal Diffusivity (D) of the samples. It furnishes superficial spatial resolution of about 100μm, so it is appropriate to study inhomogeneous samples. It is shown that D may change up to a factor 3 over the surface of a film because of the differences in the nanoparticles concentration distribution.