Plasmonic Resonance In Spray Deposited Au Nanoparticles Grown On TiO2 Thin Film

Gold nanoclusters embedded in titania (TiO2) matrix were synthesized by thermal spray method followed by thermal annealing in an inert atmosphere. The effect of annealing temperature on the plasmonic response and optical properties of gold nanocluster in titanium dioxide matrices have been investigated by using UV-visible absorption spectroscopy. The surface plasmon resonance (SPR) at metal-dielectric interface for gold nanoparticles has been observed for as deposited samples at 561.8 nm which degrade as a function of post annealing temperature. Field emission scanning electron micrographs confirm the presence of spherical nanoparticles whose size increases with post annealing temperature. The plasmonic resonance of noble metals at nanoscale is fundamentally and technologically important for light trapping photovoltaic and other applications.