Metal nanocrystal glass composites were fabricated by single and sequential
element implantations of Ag+ and Cu+ ions into high purity silica. Implant
ation doses (x10(16) ions/cm(2)) were 3Ag, 9Cu and 3Ag/9Cu. Composites were
analyzed using Rutherford backscattering techniques (RBS), transmission el
ectron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and optical
spectroscopy. An optical density spectrum based on the size distribution ob
served in the sequentially implanted sample for Cu shell and Ag core nanocr
ystals has been calculated using the dipole and quadrupole terms in a Mie s
eries summation and is compared with the observed absorption spectrum. Resu
lts from TEM and EDS as well as the optical simulations demonstrate that Cu
shell and Ag core nanocrystals are formed by the sequential implantation o
f Ag and Cu. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.