TY - JOUR
T1 - Growth dynamics and light scattering of gold nanoparticles in situ synthesized at high concentration in thin polymer films
AU - Guyot, Corentin
AU - Vandestrick, Philippe
AU - Marenne, Ingrid
AU - Deparis, Olivier
AU - Voué, Michel
PY - 2019/1/1
Y1 - 2019/1/1
N2 - Background: Numerous optical applications of nano-objects require a dispersion of the nanoparticles in a dielectric matrix. In order to achieve high particle concentrations, one can, as an alternative, directly grow the particles in a polymer or an inorganic film by, e.g., thermal annealing. Results: Simple laser reflection experiments showed that this growth process induced light scattering at the film/air interface. We report on this phenomenon, considering the growth dynamics of gold nanoparticles in a polymer film. The scattering of light was studied by measuring the bi-directional reflection distribution function. In parallel with the observation of enhanced scattering, imaging ellipsometry in dynamics mode showed that local values of the ellipsometric angles Ψ and Δ were strongly modified by the annealing process. Conclusion: A diffraction pattern corresponding to local modifications of the optical properties of the film gradually appeared, which turned out to be the signature of the growth of the Au nanoparticles. Moreover, the monitoring of the statistical distribution of the ellipsometric angles during annealing helped evidencing two regimes in the dynamics of the nanoparticle growth and in the optical response of the nanocomposite.
AB - Background: Numerous optical applications of nano-objects require a dispersion of the nanoparticles in a dielectric matrix. In order to achieve high particle concentrations, one can, as an alternative, directly grow the particles in a polymer or an inorganic film by, e.g., thermal annealing. Results: Simple laser reflection experiments showed that this growth process induced light scattering at the film/air interface. We report on this phenomenon, considering the growth dynamics of gold nanoparticles in a polymer film. The scattering of light was studied by measuring the bi-directional reflection distribution function. In parallel with the observation of enhanced scattering, imaging ellipsometry in dynamics mode showed that local values of the ellipsometric angles Ψ and Δ were strongly modified by the annealing process. Conclusion: A diffraction pattern corresponding to local modifications of the optical properties of the film gradually appeared, which turned out to be the signature of the growth of the Au nanoparticles. Moreover, the monitoring of the statistical distribution of the ellipsometric angles during annealing helped evidencing two regimes in the dynamics of the nanoparticle growth and in the optical response of the nanocomposite.
KW - Gold
KW - Imaging ellipsometry
KW - Metal nanoparticles
KW - Plasmonic nanocomposite
KW - Polymer films
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85072895173&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3762/bjnano.10.172
DO - 10.3762/bjnano.10.172
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85072895173
SN - 2190-4286
VL - 10
SP - 1768
EP - 1777
JO - Beilstein Journal of Nanotechnology
JF - Beilstein Journal of Nanotechnology
ER -