Plasmonic Effect Of Ag Nanoparticles Research Articles

Ferroelectric spontaneous polarization assisted TiO2@BaTiO3@Ag photoanode for efficient photoelectrochemical water splitting via BaTiO3 phase regulation

In this work, TiO2@BaTiO3@Ag composite photoanodes were synthesized. By fabricating BaTiO3 with different phase structures, the influence of crystalline phase of BaTiO3 on PEC water splitting was investigated. Furthermore, hot electrons generated in the plasmonic effect of Ag nanoparticles can be efficiently injected into TiO2 film with the assistance of spontaneous polarization electric field (SPEF). Benefitting from this SPEF coupled plasmonic effect, the optimized TiO2@BaTiO3@Ag photoanode (T-TB@Ag) achieved a maximum photocurrent density of 7.30 mA cm−2 (1.23 V vs. RHE) under AM 1.5 G simulated sunlight, which is 6 times that of the non-ferroelectric cubic phase TiO2@BaTiO3@Ag photoanode (C-TB@Ag). This ferroelectric spontaneous polarization coupling plasmonic effect can effectively reduce carrier recombination and promote the separation of photocarriers, which ultimately increases PEC water splitting activity.

Silver decorated lithium niobat nanostructure by UV activation method for silver–lithium niobate/silicon heterojunction device

Lithium niobite (LiNbO3) nanostructure were successfully synthesized by chemical bath deposition method (CBD) and then decorated with silver nitrate (AgNO3) through UV activation method at different immersion durations (5, 15, 25, 35, and 45 s). The silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) effects on the optical and structural properties were studied and analyzed using various scientific devices and technique. X-ray diffraction (XRD) results showed that all the samples have a hexagonal structure with a maximum diffraction peak at the (012), and the existence of silver atoms could be recognized at 2θ = 38.2° which corresponds to the (111) diffraction plane. The optical absorption of nanocomposites depicted the presence of plasma peak related to silver (Ag) at 350 nm. The estimated energy gap from the optical absorption revealed a reduction in the Eg value from (3.97 eV) to (3.59 eV) with the presence of Ag atom. The Photolumincence (PL) peaks were observed at around 355 nm for pure LiNbO3/Si and 358, 360, 363, 371, 476 nm for different immersion durations respectively, in the visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) study illustrated that with increasing the immersion time, especially at 45 s, a change in the particle morphology was observed (LiNbO3 NRs structure). Atomic force microscopy (AFM) displayed that the surface roughness decreases from 80.71 nm for pure sample to 23.02 nm for the decorated sample as the immersion time is increased. FT-IR manifested a noticeable increase in the intensity of the peaks of samples decorated with AgNPs. Raman spectroscopy elucidated that the peaks shifted to higher intensity due to the plasmonic effect of Ag nanoparticles. Ag–LiNbO3/Si heterojunction nano-devices were fabricated successfully and enhanced the optoelectronic properties in comparison with the pure LiNbO3/Si heterojunction device.

Effect of Silver Nanoparticles on the Optical Properties of Double Line Waveguides Written by fs Laser in Nd3+-Doped GeO2-PbO Glasses

Nd3+-doped GeO2-PbO glass with silver (Ag) nanoparticles (NPs) are produced with double line waveguides through fs laser processing for photonic applications. A Ti:sapphire fs laser at 800 nm was used to write the waveguides directly into the glass 0.7 mm beneath the surface. This platform is based on pairs of parallel lines with spacing of 10 µm, each pair being formed by two identical written lines but in two different configurations of 4 or 8 separately processed lines, which are coincident. The results of optical microscopy, absorbance measurements, refractive index change, beam quality factor (at 632 and 1064 nm), photoluminescence, propagation losses, and relative gain at 1064 nm are presented. The structural changes in the glass due to the presence of Ag NPs were investigated by Raman spectroscopy. At 632 and 1064 nm, x,y-symmetrical guiding was observed, and for both kinds of overlapping pulses, a refractive index alteration of 10-3 was found in both directions. Photoluminescence growth of ~47% at 1064 nm was observed due to the plasmonic effect of Ag NPs. In dual waveguides containing Ag NPs, the relative gain obtained increased by 40% and 30% for four and eight overlapping lines, respectively, at 600 mW of 808 nm pump power, when compared to waveguides without those metallic NPs. We highlight the resultant positive internal gains of 5.11 and 7.12 dB/cm that showed a growth of ~40% and ~30%, respectively, with respect to the samples without Ag NPs. The increase in photoluminescence and relative gain were related to the local field growth produced by Ag NPs. The present results show that the addition of Ag NPs impacts positively on the optical performance at 1064 nm of double line waveguides processed by fs laser writing in Nd3+-doped GeO2-PbO glass, opening news perspectives for photonics.

Silver nanoparticle enhanced metal-organic matrix with interface-engineering for efficient photocatalytic hydrogen evolution

Integrating plasmonic nanoparticles into the photoactive metal-organic matrix is highly desirable due to the plasmonic near field enhancement, complementary light absorption, and accelerated separation of photogenerated charge carriers at the junction interface. The construction of a well-defined, intimate interface is vital for efficient charge carrier separation, however, it remains a challenge in synthesis. Here we synthesize a junction bearing intimate interface, composed of plasmonic Ag nanoparticles and matrix with silver node via a facile one-step approach. The plasmonic effect of Ag nanoparticles on the matrix is visualized through electron energy loss mapping. Moreover, charge carrier transfer from the plasmonic nanoparticles to the matrix is verified through ultrafast transient absorption spectroscopy and in-situ photoelectron spectroscopy. The system delivers highly efficient visible-light photocatalytic H2 generation, surpassing most reported metal-organic framework-based photocatalytic systems. This work sheds light on effective electronic and energy bridging between plasmonic nanoparticles and organic semiconductors.

Synergism of Mo-Dopant and Ag Nanoparticles for Methanol Oxidation on Photoanodes

Photoelectrocatalytic methanol oxidation to formaldehyde by using electric/solar energy is a promising technology. In this work, Ag nanoparticles were decorated on Mo-doped BiVO4 to synthesize Ag/Mo: BiVO4 catalyst. As expected, benefitting from Mo-dopant and plasmonic effect of Ag nanoparticles, formaldehyde production of Ag/Mo: BiVO4 photoanode was 2.2 times higher than pristine BiVO4 photoanode. Faradaic efficiency increased from 19% to 49% in comparison with the pure BiVO4 photoanode.

Plasmon effect on simultaneous singlet-singlet and triplet-singlet energy transfer

The influence of plasmonic effect of Ag nanoparticles (NPs) on singlet-singlet (S–S) and triplet-singlet (T–S) energy transfer in the same donor–acceptor pair of organic molecules was studied. It was established that a 7-fold increase in the fluorescence and phosphorescence intensity of the energy donor (Rose bengal) and a 4-fold increase in the fluorescence intensity of the acceptor (polymethine dye) are observed on silver island films. The changes are associated with an increase in the emission rate of dye molecules, as evidenced by a decrease in the lifetime of their luminescence in the presence of Ag NPs. An increase in the efficiency of both types of energy transfer was recorded in the plasmon field of Ag NPs. The plasmon effect has almost the same influence on both S–S and T–S energy transfer. Estimation of the energy transfer rates using of the model of electric dipole interaction showed a good correlation between the experimental and calculated data for the S–S energy transfer.

Enhancement of multijunction solar cell efficiency using a cover layer of Eu3+, Tb3+ and Eu3+/Tb3+ doped GeO2-PbO-Al2O3 glasses as spectral converter of solar radiation

The present study reports the multijunction solar cell efficiency enhancement using a cover layer of GeO2-PbO-Al2O3 glasses single doped with Eu3+ and Tb3+ (with and without Ag nanoparticles (NPs)) and codoped with both of them. We highlight that Al2O3 is a network modifier that promotes the occupation of rare-earth ions in more asymmetric sites, and the change in the coordination environment improves the luminescence that benefits the solar cell efficiency. The influence of the downconversion process and the energy transfer mechanisms between Tb3+ and Eu3+ ions are investigated using different concentrations of Eu2O3 and Tb4O7 in single and codoped samples. Moreover, the plasmonic effects of Ag NPs on the solar cell efficiency increase are also studied and compared with those promoted by different doping concentration to reach the best condition for the multijunction solar cell performance. However, in all cases, it is the contribution of the highest luminescence and considerable transmittance that led to the solar cell best performance. The sample single doped with Eu2O3 promoted an increase of 14%; on the other hand, an increase of 13% was observed for the glass doped with Tb4O7 and with 0.5% of AgNO3. For the case of the codoped samples, solar cell efficiency increase of 10% was reached when the largest Eu2O3 concentration was used.

Enhanced piezo-photocatalytic performance of Ag@Na0.5Bi0.5TiO3 composites

The coupling of piezoelectric and plasmonic effects is an effective strategy to enhance the photocatalytic performances. Here we prepared the new piezoelectric composites composed of Na 0.5 Bi 0.5 TiO 3 nanoplates coated with Ag particles, which exhibited excellent piezo-photocatalytic performances. The plasmonic effect of Ag nanoparticles widened the catalysts’ spectral absorption range, and the electric field from the deformation of Na 0.5 Bi 0.5 TiO 3 piezoelectric nanoplates can largely enhance the separation and migration efficiencies of photo-generated charge carriers in Ag@Na 0.5 Bi 0.5 TiO 3 composites. With full-spectrum lights and ultrasonic excitation simultaneously, the piezo-photocatalytic activity of Ag@Na 0.5 Bi 0.5 TiO 3 degraded 98.8% RhB in 30 min, and the corresponding rate constant k value reached as high as 0.146 min −1 , 7.6 times that of pure Na 0.5 Bi 0.5 TiO 3 photocatalysis. This work suggests a novel method to design and develop efficient piezoelectric photocatalysts. • Ag nanoparticles are uniformly grown on the highly crystalline Na 0.5 Bi 0.5 TiO 3 nanoplates. • Piezo-photocatalysis of Ag@Na 0.5 Bi 0.5 TiO 3 fast degrades RhB with the k value of 0.146 min −1 . • Synergy of piezoelectric and plasmonic effects promotes migration of photo-generated carriers.

High Detectivity Photodetector Based on WO3 Nanowires by the Surface Plasmonic Effect of Ag Nanoparticles

This letter reports the synthesis of silver (Ag) nanoparticles (NPs) decorated on WO <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">3</sub> nanowires (NWs) using the glancing angle deposition (GLAD) technique for photodetector applications. Ag/WO <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">3</sub> NWs device reveals a significantly low dark current of <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$8.63\times10$ </tex-math></inline-formula> <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">−11</sup> A. The device also obtained a maximum photoresponsivity of 70.1 A/W and detectivity of <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$1.61\,\,\times10$ </tex-math></inline-formula> <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">14</sup> Jones at 360 nm with an internal gain of 241. Moreover, the Ag decorated WO <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">3</sub> NWs shows a rise time of 0.84 s and a fall time of 0.78 s at an applied bias of 3V.

Redox participation and plasmonic effects of Ag nanoparticles in nickel cobaltite-Ag architectures as battery type electrodes for hybrid supercapacitor

Nickel cobaltites (NiCo2O4) continue to attract significant research attention for applications in the renewable energy sector due to their outstanding attributes, such as high theoretical potential and affordable cost. However, capacity deterioration due to low electrical conductivity is known to hamper the functional feasibility of NiCo2O4. Herein, we report a viable strategy to promote the electrochemical performance of nickel cobaltite by incorporating conductive silver nanoparticles, which co-participate with NiCo2O4 in the redox reactions in alkaline electrolyte. The optimal composite with a favorable macro-mesoporous architecture exhibited a specific charge of 832 Cg−1 (1386 Fg−1) and demonstrated good durability in an alkaline medium. A hybrid supercapacitor device composed of NiCo2O4/Ag//activated carbon provided energy density as high as 42.6 Wh kg–1 at a power density of 512 W kg–1. Furthermore, the composite electrode with optimized Ag loading exhibited roughly 1.3 times higher plasmonic capacitance on UV illumination, facilitated by the photo-induced "Ag hot-electron sink" mechanism active in the composite material.

One-step preparation of Ag-incorporated BiVO4 thin films: plasmon-heterostructure effect in photocatalytic activity enhancement

Ag-incorporated BiVO4 thin film with high photocatalytic activity is a great candidate for industrial wastewater treatment, enhancing the photoactivity of BiVO4, as well as solving the recyclability and reusability drawback of powder photocatalysts. Therefore, a novel one-step process of the reactive magnetron sputtering technique was employed, which to this day was never utilized to synthesis Ag-incorporated BiVO4 thin films. The effect of Ag incorporation on the photocatalytic properties was comparatively investigated. The photoactive phases e.g. monoclinic BiVO4, Ag4V2O7, α-AgVO3 were detected by X-ray diffraction (XRD). Various morphologies, depending on the Ag content, were observed by field emission electron microscopy (FESEM) along with Ag nanoparticles on the film surface. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) proved the existence of Bi and V exclusively in their Bi+3 and V+5 oxidation states, while Ag was present in Ag+ and Ag0, which are correspondent with silver vanadates and Ag nanoparticles, respectively. The thin film with 24 at. % Ag exhibited superior photocatalytic performance with a 99 % photodegradation of Rhodamine-B at neutral pH under visible light, as a result of having the lowest bandgap (1.96 eV), proper distribution of Ag4V2O7 phase, the plasmonic effect of Ag nanoparticles on the film surface, and the lower recombination rate compared to the pristine sample demonstrated by photoluminescence (PL) spectra. The recyclability experiment ensured the high stability of the thin films after three consecutive cycles, and the role of superoxides (•O2−) and photogenerated holes were found to be crucial using scavengers. The results confirmed the synergistic enhancement of the photocatalytic activity through Ag-incorporated BiVO4 heterostructure and the plasmonic effect, as well as solving the low photoactivity of BiVO4 at neutral pH.

Numerical Study of Plasmonic Effects of Ag Nanoparticles Embedded in the Active Layer on Performance Polymer Organic Solar Cells

In this paper, the light absorption in the active layer of polymer solar cells (OPV) by using plasmonic nanocrystals with a hexagonal lattice structure is investigated. To study the relationship between the performance of the OPV solar cell and its active layer, a three-dimensional model of its morphology is utilized. Therefore, the three-dimensional (3D) finite-difference time-domain method and Lumerical software were used to measure the field distribution and light absorption in the active layer in terms of wavelength. OPV solar cells with bilayer and bulk heterojunction structured cells were designed using hexagonal lattice crystals with plasmonic nanoparticles, as well as core–shell geometry to govern a design to optimize light trapping in the active layer. The parameters of shape, material, periodicity, size, and the thickness of the active layer as a function of wavelength in OPV solar cells have been investigated. A very thin active layer and an ultra-thin shell were used to achieve the highest increase in optical absorption. The strong alternating electromagnetic field around the core–shell plasmonic nanoparticles resulting from the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) suggested by the Ag plasmonic nanocrystals increased the intrinsic optical absorption in the active layer poly(3-hexylthiophene):phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (P3HT:PCBM). Based on the photovoltaic results, the short circuit current ranged from 19.7 to 26.7 mA/cm2.

Surface plasmon enhanced photoluminescence of monolayer WS2 on ion beam modified functional substrate

Developing efficient methods for boosting light–matter interactions is critical to improve the functionalities of two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenides toward next-generation optoelectronic devices. Here, we demonstrate that the light–matter interactions in tungsten disulfide (WS2) monolayer can be significantly enhanced by introducing an air-stable functional substrate (fused silica with embedded plasmonic Ag nanoparticles). Distinctive from conventional strategies, the Ag nanoparticles are embedded under the surface of fused silica via ion implantation, forming a functional substrate for WS2 monolayer with remarkably environmental stability. A tenfold photoluminescence enhancement in WS2 monolayer has been achieved due to the plasmonic effect of Ag nanoparticles. This work offers a strategy to fabricate the plasmon-2D hybrid system at low cost and large scale and paves the way for their applications in optoelectronics and photonics.

Rational design of Z-scheme Bi12O17Cl2/plasmonic Ag/anoxic TiO2 composites for efficient visible light photocatalysis

An all-solid-state Z-scheme plasmonic Ag-Bi12O17Cl2/TiO2 heterojunction, for the first time, was constructed. The in-situ one-step preparation of Bi12O17Cl2 in the presence of Cl source on the surface of TiO2 fiber, which has not been previously reported, led to the successful coupling Bi12O17Cl2 and TiO2. The Ag particles were selectively anchored on the surface of Bi12O17Cl2 and the interface of Bi12O17Cl2/TiO2. The plasmonic effect and electron-hole bridge at the interfaces were thus separately realized. The Ag-Bi12O17Cl2/TiO2 exhibited greatly increased reaction rate in the removal of azo dye molecules under visible light irradiation, which was 5.4 and 1.4 times higher than that of TiO2 and Bi12O17Cl2, respectively. The enhanced photocatalytic performance was ascribed to the increased specific surface area, formed Z-scheme heterojunction, and the plasmonic effect of Ag nanoparticles. This work paves a new way for the rational design of recyclable, efficient Z-scheme photocatalyst for environmental remediation.

Polyethyleneimine induced highly dispersed Ag nanoparticles over g-C3N4 nanosheets for efficient photocatalytic and antibacterial performance

Improving the efficiency of Ag nanoparticles (NPs) in an antibacterial system remains a problem to be solved. Herein, a simple polyethyleneimine (PEI) modification strategy has been developed for realizing the high dispersion of Ag NPs with average size of 10 nm over two dimensional nanosheets of g-C3N4 photocatalyst, and the as-prepared ternary Ag/PEI/CN hybrid demonstrates enhanced bifunctional performance of antibiotics (e.g., tetracycline, TC) degradation and antibacterial activity. The enhanced mechanism is investigated and proposed to be a synergy effect between reactive oxygen-containing species (ROS, e.g., •OH and O2•−) derived from PEI modified g-C3N4 photocatalyst and slow released Ag+ ions generated by the highly dispersed Ag NPs as antimicrobial agent. Furthermore, the surface plasmonic effect of Ag NPs and coupling of PEI can increase light absorption and accelerate the electron-hole separation and mobility. Consequently, more availability of ROS along with holes and Ag+ ions can accelerate the death of bacteria via destructing biomolecules. As a result, under visible-light irradiation, Ag/PEI/CN hybrid presents greatly improved antibacterial activity against E. coli, including a low MIC100% of 30 ppm and MBC97% of 10 ppm and enhanced photocatalytic performance towards TC degradation (~80% TC can be degraded within 60 min).

Light formation mechanisms induced by well-aligned sub-20-nm Ag quantum dots produced alongside patterned porous Si walls and bottoms

Sub-20-nm Ag nanoparticles created via sputtering were freely moved into preformed Si pores and were arranged along both wall and lower surfaces in etched Si layers via a post-thermal annealing treatment. The variously sized Ag quantum dots on the porous Si facilitate broadband visible emission via photo-generated enhanced luminescent effects, i.e., plasmonic effects of Ag nanoparticles by electron transfer from the Si-based matrix to the metallic Ag. The emission wavelengths and intensities, depending on the sizes of the Ag quantum dots, were determined by the degree of oxidation of the Si-based substrate such as Si, SiOx, and SiO2, according to different post-thermal annealing conditions. The morphological, microstructural, and optical evolution of Ag nanoparticles and Si pores were simply observed via side-cross-sectional scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and crystalline-controlled photoluminescence analyses, respectively. The origin of a new systematic luminescence mechanism based on energy-equilibria is also presented.

The Role Played by Graphene Oxide in the Photodeposition and Surface‐Enhanced Raman Scattering Activity of Plasmonic Ag Nanoparticle Substrates

Layer‐by‐layer photocatalyst films made of TiO2 nanoparticles (TiO2NP) assembled with both poly(sodium 4‐styrenesulfonate) (PSS) and graphene oxide (GO) are used for the photodeposition of plasmonic Ag nanoparticles (AgNPs) and subsequently used in surface‐enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). Both photocatalyst films, TiO2NP/PSS and TiO2NP/GO, are capable of driving the formation of AgNP when they are wetted with a drop of AgNO3 diluted solution and submitted to UV irradiation (254 nm). The photodeposition of AgNP, as monitored by UV–vis spectroscopy, follows a first‐order kinetics process in both films and is slightly faster in the TiO2NP/PSS. In addition, scanning electron microscopy reveals that in the TiO2NP/PSS film, the photodeposited AgNPs are larger and isolated, whereas in the TiO2NP/GO film, they are smaller and highly interconnected. The SERS activity of the substrates is evaluated with rhodamine B. When samples are excited in resonance with rhodamine B absorption (514 nm), GO‐based substrates provide the largest enhancement because GO is able to quench the rhodamine B fluorescence, something that PSS is unable to do. Out of this condition (633 nm), the plasmonic effect of AgNP alone prevails regardless of the presence of GO.

Plasmonic effects of Ag nanoparticles for absorption enhancement in polymer solar cells with MoO3 passivation layer

In this work, we numerically demonstrate absorption enhancement in poly (3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl) (P3HT):[6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) and poly ({4,8-bis [(2-ethylhexyl)oxy]benzo [1,2-b:4,5-b′]dithiophene-2,6-diyl}{3-fluoro-2-[(2-ethylhexyl)-carbonyl]-thieno-[3,4-b]thiophenediyl}) (PTB7):[6,6]-phenyl-C71-butyric acid methyl ester (PC70BM) based polymer solar cells (PSCs) by utilizing plasmonic effects of Ag nanoparticles (Ag NPs) incorporated at the interface between indium-tin-oxide (ITO) anode and an ultra-thin MoO3 anode buffer layer. The influence of factors such as particle size, spacing between neighboring particles, thickness of the active layer and the thickness of the MoO3 layer on the optical absorption enhancement has been investigated. Including 75 nm sized Ag NPs at the interface between ITO and 1 nm thick MoO3 layer resulted in 18.6% and 22.6% absorption enhancement in 80 nm thick P3HT:PCBM and PTB7:PC70BM active layers, respectively. PSCs have been fabricated using PTB7:PCBM as the active layer and 75 nm sized Ag NPs as the absorption enhancers for demonstrating performance enhancement. An improvement in device efficiency from 5.44% to 6.74% has been achieved by optimizing the number density of Ag NPs. Present study reveals that incorporating Ag NPs at the ITO/MoO3 interface is an effective approach to eliminate exciton quenching and charge carrier recombination problems while retaining most of the absorption enhancement induced by the Ag NPs.

Enhancing power conversion efficiency of multicrystalline silicon solar cells by plasmonic effect of Ag nanoparticles embedded in SiNx layer

In this paper, we demonstrate that the performance of the industrial multicrystalline silicon solar cells can be improved by embedding the silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) into the SiNx layer. On the one hand, the cells have a certain optical loss in short wavelengths near the plasmonic resonance frequency of Ag-NPs, but their open circuit voltages and filling factors are increased due to depressed surface recombination as those short wavelength photons are mainly absorbed by Ag-NPs instead of the surface; on the other hand, the cells show strong absorption in long wavelengths, which can be attributed to the forward-scattering effect of Ag-NPs. Taking together, UV-absorbing Ag-NPs may act as a “sunscreen” to shield the UV damage, while improve the cell efficiency from 18.05 % to 18.25 % by embedding proper Ag-NPs. The techniques presented in this work can be easily incorporated into the current mc-Si solar cell production line, thus have great potential for the mass practical application.

Plasmonic effect of Ag nanoparticles in a SiON antireflective coating: engineering rules and physical barrier

Surface plasmon polaritons have been proposed in the architectures of several solar cells as a way to enhance light collection and thus to increase their efficiency. Here, Ag nanoparticles (NPs) are embedded in a SiON antireflective layer using an electroless technique. The plasmonic effects are modeled and observed experimentally for NPs 5 to 200 nm in size. The systematic comparison of scattering and extinction efficiencies computed as a function of the NPs and surrounding medium properties allows establishing engineering rules, validated by the experimental measurements. The fact that Ag NPs larger than 30 nm mainly contribute to light scattering and therefore to optical path enlargement (green–red light), whereas those smaller than 15 nm absorb light by light trapping (blue–green), is demonstrated and physically explained. A physical barrier making it impossible to shift the dominant resonance beyond 650 nm is pointed out.