Gold nanoparticle-polydimethylsiloxane films reflect light internally by optical diffraction and Mie scattering

Abstract

Optical properties of polymer films embedded with plasmonic nanoparticles (NPs) are important in many implementations. In this work, optical extinction by polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) films containing gold (Au) NPs was enhanced at resonance compared to AuNPs in suspensions, Beer–Lambert law, or Mie theory by internal reflection due to optical diffraction in 16 nm AuNP–PDMS films and Mie scattering in 76 nm AuNP–PDMS films. Resonant extinction per AuNP for 16 nm AuNPs with negligible resonant Mie scattering was enhanced up to 1.5-fold at interparticle separation (i.e., Wigner–Seitz radii) comparable to incident wavelength. It was attributable to diffraction through apertures formed by overlapping electric fields of adjacent, resonantly excited AuNPs at Wigner–Seitz radii equal to or less than incident wavelengths. Resonant extinction per AuNP for strongly Mie scattering 76 nm AuNPs was enhanced up to 1.3-fold at Wigner–Seitz radii four or more times greater than incident wavelength. Enhanced light trapping from diffraction and/or scattering is relevant to optoelectronic, biomedical, and catalytic activity of substrates embedded with NPs.