OPTICAL-PROPERTIES OF MULTICOMPONENT NANOMETER DIMENSION METAL COLLOIDS FORMED IN SILICA BY SEQUENTIAL ION-IMPLANTATION OF IN AND AG AND INAND CU

A series of nanometer dimension colloids in silica have been fabricate d by sequential implantation of Ag and In, and a series by sequential implantation of In and Cu. Energies of implantation were chosen using TRIM 89 to overlay the depth distributions of the sequentially implant ed ions. The implanted layers were characterized using Rutherford back scattering spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and optical spectroscopy. Nanometer dimension metal multicomponent colloids were formed. The depth distribution, particle size, and optical response of the composites were found to depend strongly on the ion species impla nted and the relative ratio of the ion species. The optical responses are correlated with composition of the multicomponent nanoclusters.