FORMATION OF METALLIC NANOCLUSTERS IN SILICA BY ION-IMPLANTATION

We have changed both linear and nonlinear optical properties of supras il-1 by implanting 2.0 MeV copper, 350 keV tin, 1.5 MeV silver and 3.0 MeV gold. These changes were induced both by over implantation above the threshold fluence for spontaneous cluster formation and by subsequ ent thermal annealing, and are due to an increase in resonance optical absorption as well as an enhancement of the nonlinear optical propert ies. Using optical absorption spectrophotometry and Rutherford Backsca ttering Spectrometry, we have measured the cluster size for each heat treatment temperature. Using Z-scan technique we have determined the t hird order electric susceptibility for each implanted species to be 1. 5 x 10(-6) esu for Sn nanoclusters, 2.7 x 10(-6) esu for Cu nanocluste rs, 5 x 10(-)7 esu for Ag nanoclusters, to 6.5 x 10(-7) esu for Au nan oclusters in suprasil-1. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights res erved.