Electron confinement effects in silver nanoclusters embedded in sodalime glasses

Different chemical processes occur in Ag exchanged sodalime glasses involving both silver and the host matrix. Aim of this study is to analyze the role of the Ag concentration in relation to the chemical state of silver in the glassy matrix. Four different sodalime glasses were analyzed using X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy. Strong changes of all the spectral features are observed increasing the silver concentration in the samples. These were correlated to changes of the electronic structure of Ag which reflect the structural arrangement of this element in the glassy matrix. These results were also correlated to the optical response of these glasses which are produced in view of telecom application.