Morphology and optical properties of thin silica films containing bimetallic Ag/Au nanoparticles

Abstract

We have studied the optical spectra in the UV and visible regions, the morphology by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and the X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS) of bimetallic Ag/Au nanoparticles incorporated into transparent silicate films in the sol-gel transition stage. The bimetallic nanoparticles, obtained by a combination of photoreduction and thermal reduction, form structures of the alloy or core-shell type. © 2008 Springer Science+Business Media, Inc.