Tailoring the Size Distribution of Ag Nanoparticles Embedded in SiO_2 by Xe Ion Postirradiation

摘要

We performed the modification of the size and optical properties of Ag nanoparticles (NPs) embedded in SiO_2 by using 500 keV Xe ion irradiation. The results reveal that Xe ion irradiation can eliminate small Ag NPs and promote the growth of large Ag NPs, which significantly enhances the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) absorption at 400 nm. Besides, Xe ion irradiation modifies structures of Ag NPs, resulting in a shoulder absorption peak at around 530 nm. The present work provides an available route to tailor the size and modulate the optical properties of metal NPs.