Formation of silver thin films and nanoparticles inside and on the surface of silver-containing glasses by electron irradiation

New insight into nanoparticle precipitation by electron beams in borosilicate glasses

“…Vostokov et al [32] reported the capability of the electron beam irradiation in the formation of 2D metallic nanostructures in Ag and Cu-doped glasses. Studies on the formation of silver nanoparticles of various diameters in glasses under low-energy electron beam irradiation have been reported by Nikonorov et al [14,[32][33][34][35] and Brunov and co-workers [36]. These studies concentrate on general charge-induced surface aggregation observed ex situ by light microscopy without nanoscale imaging of the actual particle-enriched glass surface.…”

Excitation of waveguide modes in plasmonic waveguide, formed by electron beam in glass

“…This makes it possible to form plasmonic waveguides in such glasses, along which surface electromagnetic waves can propagate [7,8]. When a glass is irradiated by electrons and heat-treated, a continuous film of silver can be formed under the glass surface as well [9].…”

Structural Changes in Silica Glass under the Action of Electron Beam Irradiation: The Effect of Irradiation Dose

“…Electron beam irradiation of glasses can enhance nonlinear optical properties of glasses [11] and produce luminescent centers in them [6,7]. The choice of electron energy makes possible to dissolute thin metal films in glasses or to form metal films on the surfaces of metal-containing glasses [12,13]. The advantage of electron beam with relatively low electrons energy is that it can be focused into a spot with the size less than 10 nm.…”