Influence of post-implantation thermal and laser annealing on the stability of metal-alloy nanoclusters in silica

The effect of thermal or laser annealing on the evolution of binary alloy c lusters in sequentially ion-implanted Au/Cu or Ag/Au silica glasses has bee n studied. In the case of Au/Cu system the selective effect of oxidizing at mosphere on alloy decomposition has been investigated as a function of the temperature and time, evidencing that alloy decomposition takes place with Cu oxidation. In the AuAg system the decomposition process is slower than i n the AuCu case, due to lower silver-oxygen reactivity. On the contrary, la ser annealing is able to promote alloy formation and/or composition modific ation even in systems with partially or completely separated components. (C ) 2001 Elsevier Science B,V. All rights reserved.