Metal nanocluster and sodalime glasses: an XPS characterization

Metal nanoparticles are lately emerging materials to improve the optical performances of photonic device. This is ascribable to the high cross-section of the metal nanoparticle leading to high energy transfer and consequent luminescent emission from rare earth dopants. In this work we study Ag nanoparticles embedded in a sodalime network. Silver dispersions with different concentrations in the host network were obtained through ion-exchange treatments at temperatures below Tg. Optical properties were investigated through absorption and emission photoluminescence spectra. X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy was used to investigate the chemical state as well as size-dependent electronic confinement effects. The changes of the photoelectron core-line binding energies, the change of Auger and valence band line-shapes put forward that there is a clear correlation between the experimental parameters used to make the samples and the extent of quantum confinement. Data from photoelectron spectroscopy well correlate with those from optical measurements. Physico-chemical characterization of optical materials by XPS demonstrated to be of great importance to improve the quality of photonic devices.