Formation of silver fractal structures in ion-exchange glasses under poling

Abstract

In silver-ion-containing ion-exchange glasses subjected to a constant electric field and temperature, fractal silver structures arise under the surface facing the cathode. The growth of the structures is characterized by random branching and the absence of self-crossings: the main part of the fractal is in the glass, and some ends of the branches emerge on the surface. As a possible application of substrates with fractal structures thus prepared, the determination of their surface-enhanced Raman scattering activity using Rhodamine 6G dye is described.