title: Annealing Effects on Structure and Optical Properties of Diamond-Like Carbon Films Containing Silver.
abstract: In the present study, diamond-like carbon films with embedded Ag nanoparticles (DLC:Ag) were deposited by reactive magnetron sputtering. Structure of the films was investigated by Raman scattering spectroscopy. Atomic force microscopy was used to define thickness of DLC:Ag films as well as to study the surface morphology and size distribution of Ag nanoparticles. Optical absorbance and reflectance spectra of the films were studied in the 180-1100-nm range. Air annealing effects on structure and optical properties of the DLC:Ag were investigated. Annealing temperatures were varied in the 180-400 °C range. Changes of size and shape of the Ag nanoclusters took place due to agglomeration. It was found that air annealing of DLC:Ag films can result in graphitization following destruction of the DLC matrix. Additional activation of surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) effect in DLC:Ag films can be achieved by properly selecting annealing conditions. Annealing resulted in blueshift as well as significant narrowing of the plasmonic absorbance and reflectance peaks. Moreover, quadrupole surface plasmon resonance peaks appeared. Modeling of absorption spectra of the nanoclusters depending on the shape and surrounding media has been carried out.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Materials Science of Kaunas University of Technology, Barsausko 59, LT-51423, Kaunas, Lithuania.
authors.forename: Šarūnas
authors.initials: Š
authors.lastname: Meškinis
authors.affiliation: Institute of Materials Science of Kaunas University of Technology, Barsausko 59, LT-51423, Kaunas, Lithuania.
authors.forename: Arvydas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Čiegis
authors.affiliation: Institute of Materials Science of Kaunas University of Technology, Barsausko 59, LT-51423, Kaunas, Lithuania.
authors.forename: Andrius
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vasiliauskas
authors.affiliation: Institute of Materials Science of Kaunas University of Technology, Barsausko 59, LT-51423, Kaunas, Lithuania.
authors.forename: Kęstutis
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Šlapikas
authors.affiliation: Institute of Materials Science of Kaunas University of Technology, Barsausko 59, LT-51423, Kaunas, Lithuania.
authors.forename: Rimantas
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gudaitis
authors.affiliation: Department of Photonics, Lviv Polytechnic National University, S. Bandera Str. 12, Lviv, 79013, Ukraine. ira19yaremchuk@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Iryna
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Yaremchuk
authors.affiliation: Department of Photonics, Lviv Polytechnic National University, S. Bandera Str. 12, Lviv, 79013, Ukraine.
authors.forename: Volodymyr
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Fitio
authors.affiliation: Department of Photonics, Lviv Polytechnic National University, S. Bandera Str. 12, Lviv, 79013, Ukraine.|Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Rzeszow, Pigonia Str.1, 35959, Rzeszow, Poland.
authors.forename: Yaroslav
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Bobitski
authors.affiliation: Institute of Materials Science of Kaunas University of Technology, Barsausko 59, LT-51423, Kaunas, Lithuania.
authors.forename: Sigitas
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tamulevičius
keywords: Annealing; Diamond-like carbon; Nanocomposite; Silver nanoparticles; Surface plasmon resonance