DETECTION AND SIZE DETERMINATION OF AG NANOCLUSTERS IN ION-EXCHANGED SODA-LIME GLASSES BY WAVE-GUIDED RAMAN-SPECTROSCOPY

Waveguided Raman measurements have been performed in order to detect t he presence of Ag nanoclusters in soda-lime glass waveguides obtained by ion exchange. By subtracting a strong broadband luminescence and th e Raman contribution of the glass matrix, a low frequency Raman peak i s resolved. The peak is ascribed to surface acoustic vibrations of sil ver clusters. The involved modes are the quadrupolar spheroidal ones. The size distribution of the Ag clusters is deduced from the energy an d the linewidth of the peak. Silver particles have small dimensions wi th an upper size limit of about 1.5 nm. This result is in good agreeme nt with recent transmission electronmicroscopy measurements. (C) 1996 American Institute of Physics.