Researchers at the Autonomous University of Madrid (UAM) and CSIC have developed an innovative technique that combines ion implantation and femtosecond lasers to create advanced optical nanocomposites. The work, published in Materials Today Nano , lays the groundwork for a new generation of customizable materials with applications in optics, sensors and photonics.
Researchers from the Center for Microanalysis of Materials and the Department of Applied Physics of the Autonomous University of Madrid (UAM), in collaboration with the Laser Processing Group of the Institute of Ethics of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), have achieved a significant advance in the development of advanced optical materials.
In a paper published in the journal Materials Today Nano, the teams present an innovative method that combines high-energy ion implantation and femtosecond laser processing to design highly tunable optoplasmonic nanocomposites. These structures offer promising applications in advanced optics, sensors and photonic technologies.
The study marks a milestone in applied nanotechnology, opening up new routes for the design of multifunctional and tunable optical materials. "These results not only demonstrate the power of combining physical techniques to fabricate innovative nanocomposites, but also underscore their utility in the development of tailored optical devices," the authors emphasize.
Combination of physical techniques
The process begins with the creation of a nanocomposite by doping a soda-lime glass matrix with gold (Au) nanoparticles. Through ion implantation, gold ions at high energy (1.8 MeV) are introduced into the glass, and a subsequent thermal annealing at 500 °C promotes the formation of nanoparticles. This initial treatment confers to the material a distinctive optical response that combines plasmon resonance and optical interference effects generated by the depth of the particles in the glass, starting at 480 nanometers depth.
In the second stage, a femtosecond laser (130 fs, 800 nm) is used to modify the properties of the nanocomposite in a precise and controlled manner. This procedure makes it possible to adjust the optical characteristics of the material, which acquires unique properties. In particular, the plasmon resonance of the gold nanoparticles, the Fabry-Pérot interference effect or both are modified.
The result is a material with exceptional optoplasmonic characteristics, the design of which would be impossible with traditional low-energy ion implantation methods. The ability to customize its properties opens up new opportunities in applications such as spectral filters, color pattern information coding and light control devices.
In addition, the method is scalable and adaptable to other glasses, which expands its potential in the advanced materials industry.
Bibliographic reference:
Irene Solana, María Dolores Ynsa, Fátima Cabello, Fernando Chacón Sánchez, Jan Siegel, Mario García Lechuga. "Optoplasmonic tuneable response by femtosecond laser irradiation of glass with deep-implanted gold nanoparticles". Materials Today Nano 28 (2024) 100526.
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