Kinetics of picosecond laser treatment of silver nanoparticles on ITO substrate

In this work, the effect of ITO substrate on Ag NP size, morphology and photoinduced absorption depending on the time of 30 ps laser treatment were explicitly studied. Silver nanoparticles with an average diameter of ∼40 nm supported on indium tin oxide (ITO) were irradiated with a tightly focused pulsed laser (doubled frequency beam) at 532 nm. The size transformation of silver nanoparticles induced by a single pulse of Nd:YAG laser (λ = 532 nm, pulse width = 30 ps) was directly observed by an electron scanning microscopy (FE-SEM) on indium tin oxide surface. Simultaneously the change in the absorption and the corresponding derivatives are also presented. These morphological changes are accompanied by a significant change in the optical absorption properties of the array. This study demonstrates that picosecond laser irradiation is an excellent technique to operate and control the properties of nanostructured materials on solid supports.

► Effect of ITO substrate on Ag NP size, morphology and photoinduced absorption depending on the time of 30 ps laser treatment was studied.
► The morphological changes are accompanied by a significant change in the optical absorption properties of the array.
► The maximum changes are observed at wavelength about 349 nm, which is close to the maximum 330 nm of photoluminescence for bulk silver; however it is interesting that the Ag NP show the photoluminescence at about 330 nm.
► This study demonstrates that picosecond laser irradiation is an excellent technique to operate and control the properties of nanostructured materials on solid supports.