title: Optical and structural properties of Ag-Si3N4 nanocermets prepared by means of ion-beam sputtering in alternate and codeposition modes.
abstract: Ion-beam sputtering deposition has been used in two ways, as granular multilayers and as cosputtered film, to elaborate Ag-Si3N4 nanocermets. Multilayer deposition creates slightly oblate clusters, and cosputtering produces two cluster families: elongated clusters within the Si3N4 matrix and larger ones at the film surface. The transmittance spectra of these nanocermets are characterized by a surface plasmon resonance. In the reported research the position of this resonance is related to the morphological properties of silver nanoclusters, which are studied by transmission-electron microscopy, grazing-incidence small-angle x-ray scattering, and atomic-force microscopy.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Métallurgie Physique, Université de Poitiers, Unité Mixte de Recherche, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, France. sophie.camelio@univ-poitiers.fr
authors.forename: Sophie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Camelio
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Babonneau
authors.forename: Thierry
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Girardeau
authors.forename: Johann
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Toudert
authors.forename: Florence
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lignou
authors.forename: Marie-Françoise
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Denanot
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Maître
authors.forename: Angel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Barranco
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Guérin