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Thin films of carbon-containing Au nanoparticles (NPs), prepared by the co-sputtering using a neutral Ar atom beam, were irradiated by 120 MeV Ag ions and also annealed, separately, at increasing temperatures in inert atmosphere. The surface plasmon resonance (SPR) band of the nanocomposite film was observed to be blue shifted (similar to 50 nm) in both cases, with increasing fluence and temperature. The structural changes of Au NPs embedded in amorphous carbon matrix were investigated using X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. A growth of Au NPs was observed with increasing fluence and also with increasing temperature. A percolation of Au NPs was observed at 500 degrees C. A growth of Au NPs with ion irradiation is explained in the framework of a thermal spike model. Raman spectroscopy revealed the ordering of a-C thin films with increasing fluence and temperature, which is ascribed to a change of refractive index and the blue shift of the SPR band.

The effect of volume fraction of silver (Ag) on the growth of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) embedded in ion-irradiated silica films is reported. Films with low volume fraction (LVF) and high volume fraction (HVF) of Ag in silica matrix were prepared by magnetron co-sputtering. The growth of AgNPs under 120 MeV Ag ion irradiation is monitored in situ using grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXRD). It is observed that the film with LVF shows the growth of AgNPs in a nearly single ion impact region, while the film with HVF shows a monotonous growth even in the region of multiple ion impacts. Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS) experiments are also performed to determine the exact volume fraction of Ag in the silica matrix and to understand the role of sputtering and diffusion processes on the growth of AgNPs. Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) is carried out to obtain further evidence of the mechanisms of growth. Our study reveals that the growth of embedded nanoparticles strongly depends on the volume fraction of metal in the matrices and affects the dipolar interactions among such noble metal NPs. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The important central question related to origin of ferromagnetic properties in the non-magnetic materials at nano-dimensions has been investigated by a novel approach of studying the evolution of magnetic properties by intentionally creating defects. The ferromagnetic response of Pd is found to increase by 20 times for nanoparticle (NP) dispersed in carbon matrix and increase by about 3.5 times in case of Pd nanoparticles dispersed in SiO2 matrix on exposure to swift heavy ion irradiation. Ferromagnetic response is found to increase by about 9.3 times on subjecting the Pd nanoparticles to hydrogen loading-deloading cycle. Ferromagnetic properties of Pd nanoparticles dispersed in carbon and SiO2 matrices, despite having same size and concentration, are observed to be vastly different due to matrix effect. These changes in ferromagnetic properties are correlated to the change in the electronic structure due to matrix, nanoparticle size, and creation of defects in the nanoparticle core and at NP-matrix interface during post deposition treatments. Giant enhancement in the magnetic properties and change in electronic properties point toward a core and surface magnetic structure in metal nanoparticle. (C) 2012 American Institute of Physics.

Ag:ZrO2 nanocomposite films have been synthesized by a sol-gel dip coating process at room temperature, followed by irradiation using swift heavy ions. The effect of electronic energy loss and fluences on the evolution and consequently on the tailoring of plasmonic properties of films has been studied. The optical study exhibits that color of films converts from transparent in pristine form into shiny yellow when films are irradiated by 100 MeV Ag ions at a fluence of 3 x 10(12) ions/cm(2). However, irradiation by 120 MeV O ions up to the fluence of 1 x 10(14) ions/cm(2) does not induce any coloration in films. The coloration is attributed to the evolution of plasmonic feature resulting in a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) induced absorption peak in the visible region. Increase in fluence from 3 x 10(12) to 6 x 10(13) ions/cm(2) of 100 MeV Ag ions induces a redshift in SPR induced peak position from 434 to 487 nm. Microstructural studies confirms the conversion of Ag2O3 (in pristine films) into cubic phase of metallic Ag and the increase of average size of particles with the increasing fluence up to 6 x 10(13) ions/cm(2). Further increase in fluence leads to the dissolution of Ag atoms in the ZrO2 matrix. (c) 2011 American Institute of Physics

Zinc sulfide (ZnS) thin films in zinc-blende (ZB) and wurtzite (W) phases have been fabricated by pulsed laser deposition. 150 MeV Ni ion beam irradiation has been carried out at different fluences ranging from 10(11) to 10(13) ions/cm(2) at room temperature for ion induced modifications. Structural phase transformation in ZnS from W to ZB phase is observed after high energy ion irradiation which leads to the decrease in bandgap. Generation of high pressure and temperature by thermal spike during MeV Ion irradiation along the ion trajectory in the films is responsible for the structural phase transformation. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Structural modifications in the zircon and scheelite phases of ThGeO(4) induced by swift heavy ions (93 MeV Ni(7+)) at different fluences as well as pressure quenching effects are reported. X-ray diffraction and Raman measurements at room temperature on the irradiated zircon phase of ThGeO(4) indicate the occurrence of stresses that lead to a reduction of the cell volume up to 2% followed by its transformation to a mixture of nano-crystalline and amorphous scheelite phases. Irradiation of the zircon phase at liquid nitrogen temperature induces amorphization at a lower fluence (7.5 x 10(16) ions/m(2)), as compared to that at room temperature (6 x 10(17) ions/m(2)). Scheelite type ThGeO(4) irradiated at room temperature under goes complete amorphization at a lower fluence of 7.5 x 10(16) ions/m(2) without any volume reduction. The track radii deduced from X-ray diffraction measurements on room temperature irradiated zircon, scheelite and low temperature irradiated zircon phases of ThGeO(4) are, 3.9, 3.5 and 4.5 nm, respectively. X-ray structural investigations on the zircon phase of ThGeO(4) recovered after pressurization to about 3.5 and 9 GPa at ambient temperature show the coexistence of zircon and disordered scheelite phases with a larger fraction of scheelite phase occurring at 9 GPa. on the other hand, the scheelite phase quenched from 9 GPa shows crystalline scheelite phase pattern. (c) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.