SYNTHESIS, CHARACTERIZATION, AND NONLINEAR-OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF COPPER NANOPARTICLES

Ln this paper, copper nanoparticles were prepared by the reduction of copper(II) acetate in water and 2-ethoxyethanol using hydrazine under reflux. The synthesized nanoparticles exhibit a distinct absorption pe ak in the region 572-582 nm. The average size variation from 6.6 to 22 .7 nm in ethoxyethanol and from 15.5 to 30.2 nm in water was achieved by the addition of various amounts of a protective polymer (poly-(N-vi nylpyrrolidone)). The nonlinear optical properties of the copper collo ids were first measured using the Z-scan technique. The chi((3))/alpha (0) values obtained were found to be of the magnitude of 10(-11)-10(-1 2) esu cm, which are in good agreement with the reported Values obtain ed for copper nanoparticles embedded in glass.