Optical and structural characterization of gold island films on glass substrates

• Published in: Thin solid films Vol. 591; pp. 204 - 209
• Main Authors: Lončarić, Martin, Sancho-Parramon, Jordi, Zorc, Hrvoje, Šegota, Suzana, Dubček, Pavo, Bernstorff, Sigrid
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 30.09.2015
• Subjects: GISAXS; Glass; Gold; Grazing incidence; Infrared absorption; Localized surface plasmons; Metal islands; Nanoparticles; Optical properties; Plasmons; Spectroscopic ellipsometry; Structural analysis; Structural properties; Nanoparticles; Gold; Spectroscopic ellipsometry; Metal islands; Optical properties; Localized surface plasmons; GISAXS; Structural properties
• ISSN: 0040-6090; 1879-2731
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tsf.2015.04.031

The films consisting of gold nanoparticles, prepared by electron beam evaporation on glass substrates, exhibit interesting optical properties due to localized surface plasmon resonance. The tailoring of optical properties has been achieved by varying deposition mass thickness and substrate temperature. The relation between optical and structural properties has been studied. Optical characterization of samples has been carried out by variable angle spectroscopic ellipsometry and for structural characterization grazing incidence small angle X-ray scattering and atomic force microscopy have been used. Results show how the structural properties, obtained by using specific fabrication parameters, influence the resulting optical characteristics. The differences in concentration, shape and size of the produced gold nanoparticles result in a spectral shift of localized surface plasmon resonance, and a change of its width and intensity. The appearance of percolation is signed by Drude-like infrared absorption. •Thin gold island films were prepared by e-beam evaporation on glass substrates.•Thin gold island films exhibit plasmonic optical properties.•The morphology was studied using GISAXS and atomic force microscopy.•Plasmonic optical properties were explored using spectroscopic ellipsometry.•Plasmon shifts were observed by changing mass thickness and deposition temperature.