One-pot synthesis and transfer of PMMA/Ag photonic nanocomposites by pulsed laser deposition

Abstract

Nanocomposite films comprising metallic nanoparticles in polymer matrices find increasing use in emerging photonic, electronic and microsystem applications owing to their tailored advanced functionalities. The versatile development of such films based on poly-methyl-methacrylate (PMMA) matrix having embedded Ag nanoparticles is addressed here. Two low-cost one-pot chemical methods for the synthesis of bulk target nanocomposite materials are demonstrated. These nanocomposites are subsequently transferred via pulsed laser deposition using 193 nm ArF excimer laser radiation, producing films maintaining the structural and functional properties. Both target- and laser-deposited materials have been thoroughly characterized using microscopic, spectroscopic and thermal analysis methods. Infrared spectra demonstrated the close molecular PMMA chain similarity for both target and film materials, though structural alterations identified by thermal analysis proved the enhanced characteristics of films grown. High-resolution electron microscopy proved the transfer of Ag nanoparticles sized 10–50 nm. Visible absorption peaked in the spectral range of 430–440 nm and attributed to the Ag nanocomposite plasmonic response verifying the transfer of the functional performance from target to film.