Premium
Painting and Direct Writing of Silver Nanostructures on Phosphate Glass with Electron Beam Irradiation
Author(s) -
Jacobs Kyle E.,
Ferreira Placid M.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
advanced functional materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.069
H-Index - 322
eISSN - 1616-3028
pISSN - 1616-301X
DOI - 10.1002/adfm.201501965
Subject(s) - materials science , fluence , nanostructure , irradiation , ion beam , kapton , thin film , optics , optoelectronics , analytical chemistry (journal) , nanotechnology , beam (structure) , layer (electronics) , polyimide , physics , nuclear physics , chemistry , chromatography
Surfaces with silver nanostructures are useful, due to their potential to resonate strongly with visible light. This report demonstrates a process for the directed extraction of silver at the surface of a transparent superionic conductor. A focused electron beam incident on superionic AgIAgPO 3 glass results in localized negative charge deposition, which is neutralized by the electrochemical reduction of free silver ions. This process was characterized for beam energies ranging from 1 to 12 kV and primary beam fluence ranging from 50 pC μm −2 to 35 nC μm −2 . For electron fluence less than 2.5 nC μm −2 the process produces vibrant coloration of the glass which can be tuned throughout the entire visible spectrum. Fluence greater than 2.5 nC μm −2 results in the controlled writing of bulk silver on the surface, with a minimum line width as small as 400 nm and narrow gaps as small as 50 nm. The high ionic conductivity of the substrate is shown to be a vital component to the process, allowing the wide range of colors to be produced along with the controlled, nondendritic growth of silver structures.