Microstructural effect on optical properties of Au : SiO2 nanocomposite waveguide films

Abstract

Polarization-dependent optical properties of slab waveguide films, which are composed of Au nanoparticles dispersed in a SiO2 matrix, were investigated using a prism coupler. The optical spectra and the mode profiles of the nanocomposite films prepared by alternating sputtering were compared with those of cosputtered films, and the optical anisotropy of the films were modeled and analyzed on the basis of an effective medium theory with Maxwell-Garnett geometry and a layer-by-layer photonic band-gap structures. (c) 2007 American Institute of Physics.