Structural, optical and electronic properties of Ag–TiO2 nanocomposite thin film

Nanocomposite thin films of Ag nanoparticles in TiO 2 matrices were synthesised by RF magnetron co-sputtering and characterised by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Rutherford back scattering (RBS) spectrometry, UV–Vis, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectro...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Applied physics. A, Materials science & processing Materials science & processing, 2016-12, Vol.122 (12), p.1-9, Article 1010
Main Authors: Sharma, Himanshu, Singhal, R., Siva Kumar, V. V., Asokan, K.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Anatase
Applied physics
Characterization and Evaluation of Materials
Condensed Matter Physics
Doppler effect
Electrons
Energy gap
High resolution electron microscopy
Image analysis
Machines
Magnetron sputtering
Manufacturing
Materials science
Nanocomposites
Nanoparticles
Nanotechnology
Optical and Electronic Materials
Optical properties
Photoelectrons
Physics
Physics and Astronomy
Processes
Red shift
Silver
Strong interactions (field theory)
Surfaces and Interfaces
Thin Films
Titanium dioxide
Transmission electron microscopy
X ray photoelectron spectroscopy
X-ray diffraction
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Summary:Nanocomposite thin films of Ag nanoparticles in TiO 2 matrices were synthesised by RF magnetron co-sputtering and characterised by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Rutherford back scattering (RBS) spectrometry, UV–Vis, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The composition of Ag was varied from 0 to 45 at.%. The thickness and the concentrations of Ag in the nanocomposite thin film were revealed by RBS. XRD analysis confirmed that the TiO 2 matrix is in anatase phase and shows change in phase with Ag concentration. The UV–visible absorption spectroscopy revealed low-intense and broad surface plasmon resonance (SPR) peak at ~500 nm for the thin film with 33 at.% Ag content that was red-shifted to ~525 nm with increasing its intensity for 45 at.% of Ag. The red shift in SPR peak understood by Maxwell–Garnett theory and explained further nonexistence of SPR by interparticle separation from HR-TEM images and crystallinity. This HR-TEM image analysis confirmed the formation of Ag nanoparticles, and average radii were ~5, 12, 15 nm. The Tauc plot reveals reduction in band gap from 3.05 to 2.25 eV with increase in Ag content. Above results are understood based on the XPS analysis which shows a strong interaction between the Ag nanoparticle and TiO 2 . This decrease in band gap was advantageous to enhance the properties like photocatalytic and bioactivities through SPR.
ISSN:0947-8396
1432-0630
DOI:10.1007/s00339-016-0552-3