Optical and electrical properties of hydrogenated yttrium nanoparticles

We studied the effect of hydrogen in yttrium nanoparticles on a quartz subs trate, using optical spectroscopy and electrical resistance measurements. P ulsed laser deposition is used to obtain the Y clusters in an UHV environme nt. We show, that these clusters are highly sensitive to monoatomic Hi prod uced from ambient hydrogen gas pressures, ranging fron 10(-5) to 50 mbar wi th our experimental arrangement. The changes of optical and electrical prop erties due to the chemical reaction within the particles are sufficient to consider this material as a possible sensor for low concentrations of hydro gen.