Plasma Sputtering and Optical Properties of Au/SiO2 Nano-Composite Films

Abstract

Au/SiO2 nano-composite thin films with 3 to 65 vol% Au content were prepared by induction-coil-coupled plasma sputtering. Au particles dispersed in the SiO2 matrix can be prepared by controlling the deposition time of one Au layer and the thickness of the one SiO2 layer. The Au nano-particle dispersed Au/SiO2 multilayer with an uniform nano-layered microstructure showed the absorption peak at the wavelength of 560 nm. The heat-treated Au/SiO2 films containing 3 to 65 vol% Au showed absorption peaks at the wavelength of 540 to 560 nm, while no absorption peak was observed in the as-deposited multilayers containing more than 12 vol% Au.