Synthesis and characterization of Au nanoparticles

Synthesis and characterization of Au nanoparticles
embedded in TiO2 thin films
M. Trejo-Valdez1, A. Velasco García1, R. Torres-Martínez2, N. Peréa-López3, P. SantiagoJacinto4, C. Torres-Torres5
1
ESIQIE-Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Zacatenco, México, D.F. 07738, México
2
Centro de Investigación en Ciencia Aplicada y Tecnología Avanzada Unidad Querétaro,
Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Santiago de Querétaro, Querétaro, 76090, México
3
Laboratory for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Research (LINAN) and Advanced
Materials Department, IPICYT, Camino a la Presa San José 2055, Lomas 4a. Sección, San
Luis Potosí, 78216, México.
4
Instituto de Física, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México, D. F., 04510
5
Sección de Estudios de Posgrado e Investigación-ESIME-IPN, Zacatenco, México, D.F.,
07738, México
Au nanoparticles were growth by the UV-irradiation of TiO2 sol-gel solutions containing
Au3+ ions. The morphology of Au nanoparticles (AuNps) was estimated by means of HRTEM
microscopy. Thin films coated on glass slides or carbon microelectrodes were prepared by
using the dip coating technique and fresh UV exposed sol-gel solutions. The non-linear
optical properties of the AuNps embedded in TiO2 films were measured by using a selfdiffraction technique. We observed that near to the Surface Plasmon of Resonance of the
AuNPs, our samples showed not only a negligible nonlinear optical absorption but also a
strong nonlinear refractive index. We estimate that this kind of AuNps embedded in a TiO2
film can be a promising material for nanophotonic or electrochemical sensor applications.
Work suppoprted by the CONACyT-Mexico, through grants No. 80024 and 82708
[1] M. Trejo Valdez, R. Torres Martinez N. Peréa López, P. Santiago Jacinto and C. Torres
Torres “Contribution of the two absorption to the third order nonlinearity of Au
nanoparticles embedded in TiO2 films and in ethanol suspension”, J. Phys Chem. C., in
Press
[2] C. Torres-Torres, A. V. Khomenko, J. C. Cheang-Wong, L. Rodríguez-Fernández, A.
Crespo-Sosa, A. Oliver, Opt. Express 15, 9248-9253, (2007).
[3] C. Torres-Torres, M. Trejo-Valdez, P. Santiago-Jacinto, J. A. Reyes-Esqueda, J. Phys.
Chem. C, 113, 13515-13521, (2009).
e-mail: [email protected]