Light absorption of silica nanoparticles

Abstract

The light absorption of silica nanoparticles generated in a flame has been measured in visible light. It was revealed that the frequency dependence of the light absorption coefficient is nonexponential. Its absolute value in the forbidden band was found to be unusually high. This behavior of light absorption is ascribed to a narrowing of the energy gap due to a high concentration of structural defects that appear during particle generation and growth at high temperatures.