Modification of size distribution of ion implanted silver nanoparticles insodium silicate glass using laser and thermal annealing

Silver nanoparticles have been synthesised by ion implantation in soda-lime silicate glass at 60 keV to a dose of 7.0x10(16) ion/cm(2) and a current d ensity of 10 mu A/cm(2). The size distribution of the metal particles was m onitored by optical transmittance and reflectance registered from both the implant and lear face of the samples. The differences between the data indi cate the asymmetry in the size distribution with depth. Changes induced by furnace and pulsed laser beam thermal treatments are different and suggest there are both reductions in size of the larger silver nanoparticles, and s ome longer range dissolution of silver into the glass. A combination of fur nace heating followed by laser pulses can influence regrowth, with evidence for a narrower size distribution. The present study discusses the possibil ities of such changes for control and modification of metal nanoparticle si zes. Sizes were estimated in the framework of the Mie plasma resonance theo ry. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.