Au–ZnO: A tunable localized surface plasmonic nanocomposite

Abstract

In this letter, we report the thermal processing controlled tunability of localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) of Au nanoparticles embedded in ZnO matrix. Au–ZnO nanocomposite films were prepared by atom beam cosputtering and were annealed from 200to600°C in Ar. A regular redshift ∼110nm (from 505to615nm) in LSPR peak with increase in annealing temperature up to 600°C is observed. Transmission electron microscopy results confirm the formation of Au nanoparticles supported by ZnO nanorods at annealing temperature of 600°C. The Au–ZnO nanocomposite exhibits significant enhancement in the Raman signal for C70 molecules.