PHYSICAL AND OPTICAL-PROPERTIES OF CU NANOCLUSTERS FABRICATED BY ION-IMPLANTATION IN FUSED-SILICA

Cu clusters of nanometer dimensions were created by implantation of Cu ions into pure fused silica substrates at energies of 160 keV The siz es and size distributions of the Cu clusters were measured by transmis sion electron microscopy, and were found to be determined by the ion-b eam current during implantation. Optical-absorption spectra of these m aterials show the size-dependent surface plasmon resonance characteris tic of noble-metal clusters. There are also significant size-dependent effects in both the nonlinear index of refraction and two-photon abso rption coefficients. The distinctive variations in linear and nonlinea r optical properties with Cu nanocluster sizes and size distributions affords potentially interesting possibilities for using these material s in nonlinear optical devices.