Low temperature nucleation of thermochromic VO2crystal domains in nanocolumnar porous thin films

The low temperature formation of monoclinic VO₂crystal domains in nanocolumnar vanadium/oxygen thin films prepared by magnetron sputtering at oblique angles is analyzed. The synthesis procedure involved the deposition of amorphous nanocolumnar VO_1.9thin films at room temperature and its subsequent annealing at temperatures between 250 °C and 330 °C in an oxygen atmosphere. The thermochromic transition of these films was found at a temperature of 47 °C when the annealing temperature was 270 °C and 58 °C when the annealing temperature was 280 °C and 290 °C, presenting a clear drop of the optical transmittance in the infrared region of the spectrum. The significant downshift in the temperature window to obtain VO₂in comparison with compact films and other strategies in literature is explained by the particular morphology of the nanocolumnar structures, which contains numerous defects along with open and embedded porosity.

Silver and gold nanoparticles in nanometric confined templates: synthesis and alloying within the anisotropic pores of oblique angle deposited films

In this work we have developed an infiltration methodology to incorporate metal nanoparticles (NPs) of controlled size and shape into the open voids available in oblique angle deposited thin films. These NPs exhibited well-defined surface plasmon resonances (SPRs). The nanometric confined space provided by their porous microstructure has been used as a template for the growth of anisotropic NPs with interesting SPR properties. The fabrication methodology has been applied for the preparation of films with embedded Ag and Au NPs with two associated plasmon resonance features that developed a dichroic behaviour when examined with linearly polarized light. A confined alloying process was induced by near IR nanosecond laser irradiation yielding bimetallic NPs with SPR features covering a large zone of the electromagnetic spectrum. The possibilities of the method for the tailored fabrication of a wide range colour palette based on SPR features are highlighted.

Laser Treatment of Nanoparticulated Metal Thin Films for Ceramic Tile Decoration

This paper presents a new method for the fabrication of metal-like decorative layers on glazed ceramic tiles. It consists of the laser treatment of Cu thin films prepared by electron-beam evaporation at glancing angles. A thin film of discontinuous Cu nanoparticles was electron-beam-evaporated in an oblique angle configuration onto ceramic tiles and an ample palette of colors obtained by laser treatment both in air and in vacuum. Scanning electron microscopy along with UV-vis-near-IR spectroscopy and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry analysis were used to characterize the differently colored layers. On the basis of these analyses, color development has been accounted for by a simple model considering surface melting phenomena and different microstructural and chemical transformations of the outmost surface layers of the samples.

Optofluidic Modulation of Self-Associated Nanostructural Units Forming Planar Bragg Microcavities

Bragg microcavities (BMs) formed by the successive stacking of nanocolumnar porous SiO2 and TiO2 layers with slanted, zigzag, chiral, and vertical configurations are prepared by physical vapor deposition at oblique angles while azimuthally varying the substrate orientation during the multilayer growth. The slanted and zigzag BMs act as wavelength-selective optical retarders when they are illuminated with linearly polarized light, while no polarization dependence is observed for the chiral and vertical cavities. This distinct optical behavior is attributed to a self-nanostructuration mechanism involving a fence-bundling association of nanocolumns as observed by focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy in the slanted and zigzag microcavities. The outstanding retarder response of the optically active BMs can be effectively modulated by dynamic infiltration of nano- and mesopores with liquids of different refraction indices acting as a switch of the polarization behavior. The unprecedented polarization and tunable optofluidic properties of these nanostructured photonic systems have been successfully simulated with a simple model that assumes a certain birefringence for the individual stacked layers and accounts for the light interference phenomena developed in the BMs. The possibilities of this type of self-arranged nanostructured and optically active BMs for liquid sensing and monitoring applications are discussed.

Single-step fabrication process of 1-D photonic crystals coupled to nanocolumnar TiO2 layers to improve DSC efficiency

The present work proposes the use of a TiO₂ electrode coupled to a one-dimensional photonic crystal (1DPC), all formed by the sequential deposition of nanocolumnar thin films by physical vapor oblique angle deposition (PV-OAD), to enhance the optical and electrical performance of DSCs while transparency is preserved. We demonstrate that this approach allows building an architecture combining a non-dispersive 3 µm of TiO₂ electrode and 1 µm TiO₂-SiO₂ 1DPC, both columnar, in a single-step process. The incorporation of the photonic structure is responsible for a rise of 30% in photovoltaic efficiency, as compared with a transparent cell with a single TiO₂ electrode. Detailed analysis of the spectral dependence of the photocurrent demonstrates that the 1DPC improves light harvesting efficiency by both back reflection and optical cavity modes confinement within the TiO₂ films, thus increasing the overall performance of the cell.

Growth regimes of porous gold thin films deposited by magnetron sputtering at oblique incidence: from compact to columnar microstructures

Growth regimes of gold thin films deposited by magnetron sputtering at oblique angles and low temperatures are studied from both theoretical and experimental points of view. Thin films were deposited in a broad range of experimental conditions by varying the substrate tilt angle and background pressure, and were analyzed by field emission scanning electron microscopy and grazing-incidence small-angle x-ray scattering techniques. Results indicate that the morphological features of the films strongly depend on the experimental conditions, but can be categorized within four generic microstructures, each of them defined by a different bulk geometrical pattern, pore percolation depth and connectivity. With the help of a growth model, a microstructure phase diagram has been constructed where the main features of the films are depicted as a function of experimentally controllable quantities, finding a good agreement with the experimental results in all the studied cases.

Laser induced enhancement of dichroism in supported silver nanoparticles deposited by evaporation at glancing angles

Silver nanoparticles (NPs) depicting well defined surface plasmon resonance (SPR) absorption were deposited on flat substrates by physical vapor deposition in a glancing angle configuration. The particles were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy and their optical properties examined by UV-vis absorption spectroscopy using linearly polarized light. It was found that, depending on the amount of deposited silver and the evaporation angle, part of the 'as-prepared' samples present NPs characterized by an anisotropic shape and a polarization dependent SPR absorption and different colors when using polarized white light at 0° and 90°. Low-power irradiation of these materials with an infrared Nd-YAG nanosecond laser in ambient conditions produced an enhancement in such dichroism. At higher powers, the dichroism was lost and the SPR bands shifted to lower wavelengths as a result of the reshaping of the silver NPs in the form of spheres. The possible factors contributing to the observed changes in dichroism are discussed.

Novel guests for porous columnar thin films: the switchable perchlorinated trityl radical derivatives

TiO(2) and SiO(2) porous thin films consisting of tilted nanocolumns prepared by glancing angle evaporation (GLAD) have been infiltrated with guest derivatives belonging to the family of perchlorinated trityl radicals, novel guest molecules presenting an open-shell electronic configuration associated with paramagnetism, fluorescence, and electroactivity. The main driving forces for infiltration from aqueous solutions of the carboxylate-substituted radical derivatives are the electrostatic interactions between their negative charge and the net positive charges induced on the film pores. Positive charges on the internal surface of the films were induced by either adjusting the radical solution pH at values lower than the point of zero charge (PZC) of the oxide or passivating the nanocolumns oxide surface with a positively charged aminosilane. The infiltrated composite thin films are robust and easy to handle thanks to the physical protection exerted by the film columns. They also keep the multifunctionality of the used guests, as confirmed by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), UV-vis spectroscopy, and fluorescence spectroscopy. To prove the electroactivity of the infiltrated porous films, a porous TiO(2) host layer was supported onto conductive indium tin oxide (ITO). By application of an appropriate redox potential, the guest radical molecules have been reversibly switched from their open-shell electronic configuration to their diamagnetic state and hence changed their optical properties. On the basis of these results, it is herein proposed that the appropriate surface functionalization of the pore internal surface of GLAD thin films can be used to prepare novel radical-oxide composite thin films usable for the development of robust switchable electrically driven photonic and magnetic devices.

Response of nanoparticle-based one-dimensional photonic crystals to ambient vapor pressure

Herein we report an analysis of the variation of the optical properties of different nanoparticle-based one-dimensional photonic crystal architectures versus changes in the ambient vapor pressure. Gradual shift of the optical response provides us with information on the sorption properties of these structures and allow us to measure precise adsorption isotherms of these porous multilayers. The potential of nanoparticle-based one-dimensional photonic crystals as base materials for optical sensing devices is demonstrated in this way.

Influence of the angular distribution function of incident particles on the microstructure and anomalous scaling behavior of thin films

The microstructure and the scaling properties of films grown by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition are reproduced with a discrete model that takes into account the angular distribution function of the particles and the lateral growth of the films. Both the experimental and simulated surfaces exhibit a granular microstructure and an anomalous scaling behavior characterized by values of the growth exponent beta that vary with the scale of measurement. Depending on the angular distribution function used in the model, values of beta ranging from 0.86 to 0.2 are obtained.

Influence of the excited states on the electron-energy distribution function in low-pressure microwave argon plasmas

In this work the influence of the excited states on the electron-energy distribution function has been determined for an argon microwave discharge at low pressure. A collisional-radiative model of argon has been developed taking into account the most recent experimental and theoretical values of argon-electron-impact excitation cross sections. The model has been solved along with the electron Boltzmann equation in order to study the influence of the inelastic collisions from the argon excited states on the electron-energy distribution function. Results show that under certain conditions the excited states can play an important role in determining the shape of the distribution function and the mean kinetic energy of the electrons, deplecting the high-energy tail due to inelastic processes from the excited states, especially from the 4s excited configuration. It has been found that from the populations of the excited states an excitation temperature can be defined. This excitation temperature, which can be experimentally determined by optical emission spectroscopy, is lower than the electron kinetic temperature obtained from the electron-energy distribution function.

Plasma Chemistry of NO in Complex Gas Mixtures Excited with a Surfatron Launcher

The plasma chemistry of NO has been investigated in gas mixtures with oxygen and/or hydrocarbon and Ar as carrier gas. Surface wave discharges operating at microwave frequencies have been used for this study. The different plasma reactions have been analyzed for a pressure range between 30 and 75 Torr. Differences in product concentration and/or reaction yields smaller than 10% were found as a function of this parameter. The following gas mixtures have been considered for investigation: Ar/NO, Ar/NO/O2, Ar/NO/CH4, Ar/CH4/O2, Ar/NO/CH4/O2. It is found that NO decomposes into N2 and O2, whereas other products such as CO, H2, and H2O are also formed when CH4 and O2 are present in the reaction mixture. Depending on the working conditions, other minority products such as HCN, CO2, and C2 or higher hydrocarbons have been also detected. The reaction of an Ar/NO plasma with deposits of solid carbon has also been studied. The experiments have provided useful information with respect to the possible removal of soot particles by this type of plasma. It has been shown that carbon deposits are progressively burned off by interaction with the plasma, and practically 100% decomposition of NO was found. Plasma intermediate species have been studied by optical emission spectroscopy (OES). Bands and/or peaks due to N2*, NO*, OH*, C2*, CN*, CH*, or H* were detected with different relative intensities depending on the gas mixture. From the analysis of both the reaction products and efficiency and the type of intermediate species detected by OES, different plasma reactions and processes are proposed to describe the plasma chemistry of NO in each particular mixture of gases. The results obtained provide interesting insights about the plasma removal of NO in real gas exhausts.

Gas heating in low-pressure microwave argon discharges

Both an energy balance equation and a collisional-radiative model were developed in order to discover which process is responsible for gas heating in a low-pressure argon discharge. In this way, for a wide range of plasma conditions, the space-charge field contribution to gas heating was found to be negligible compared to that resulting from elastic collisional processes, although the value of the former is higher than the latter when calculating the absorbed power per electron. This is due to (1) the heating associated with the space-charge field only being effective in the plasma sheath, which is very close to the vessel inner wall. (2) The vessel temperature value at the external wall is taken as a boundary condition, as a result of which the space-charge field influence on gas heating is indirectly imposed on the model. The results of the collisional-radiative model take into account the influence of gas heating on the electron temperature and on the argon low-lying excited levels. Two different zones have been found. The first corresponds to low electron densities, in which the gas temperature remains constant, whereas in the second (high electron densities) the heating of the gas takes on great importance. These results compare well with experimental data.