On the fabrication and characterization of graded slanted chiral nano-sculptured silver thin films

•Graded slanted silver chiral sculptured thin films are produced.•Plasmon absorption peaks dependence on polarization and incident angle is observed.•PL study of the samples showed an inverse size dependence of spectra intensity.

Graded slanted chiral sculptured silver thin films are produced using oblique angle deposition together with rotation of substrate holder about its surface normal, plus a shadowing block, fixed at the center of the substrate holder. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) and atomic force microscope (AFM) were used for characterization of these films. The results showed a structural gradient with distance from the edge of the shadowing block, which in turn is responsible for the decrease in the volume of void fraction and increase of grain size. Plasmon absorption peaks observed in the optical analysis of these nano-structures showed that their wavelength region and intensity depend on the polarization and the incident angle of light, as well as the distance from the edge of the shadowing block. Photoluminescence (PL) study of the samples showed that there is an inverse size dependence of the PL spectra intensity.

Graphical abstractPlasmon peaks of graded slanted chiral sculptured silver films showed depends on polarization and incident angle. Photoluminescence study showed inverse size dependence of PL intensity.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide