Optical properties of metallic nano-composite thin film and its applications

In this thesis, a co-sputtering method is used to fabricate the Au and SiO2 nanocomposite thin film. Two targets of Au and SiO2 are simultaneously rf-sputtered with proper Argon pressure. A nanocomposite thin film consisted of Au and SiO2 can be fabricated, and the volume ratio of Au to SiO2 is controlled by the powers of sputtering guns. The transmission electron microscope (TEM) micrographs of this 15 nm Au-SiO2 nanocomposite thin film show that irregular shape Au nanoparticles are embedded in SiO2 with random distribution. The sizes of these nanoparticles are from 2 to 10nm.
The nonlinear optical properties, near-field optical properties, localized optical effects, optical-thermal responses, surface plasmon resonaces and its applications of Au-SiO2 nano-composited thin film are invegated by methods of Z-scan experimental technique, near-field optical microscopy and pump-probe optical measurements.