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Optical materials with a tunable localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) are of great interest for applications in photonics and optoelectronics. In the present study, we explored the potential of generating an LSPR band with an ultra-broad range of over 1000 nm in gold nanoparticles (NPs), precipitated through a thermal treatment in ZnO-Al2O3-SiO2 glass. Using optical absorption spectroscopy, we demonstrated that the LSPR band’s position and shape can be finely controlled by varying the thermal treatment route. Comprehensive methods including Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy were used to study the glass structure, while computational approaches were used for the theoretical description of the absorption spectra. The obtained results allowed us to suggest a scenario responsible for an abnormal LSPR band broadening that includes a possible interparticle plasmonic coupling effect taking place during the liquid–liquid phase separation of the heat-treated glass. The formation of gold NPs with an ultra-broad LSPR band in glasses holds promise for sensitizing rare earth ion luminescence for new photonics devices.

In this study, a simple one-stage laser-assisted metallization technique based on laser-induced backside wet etching and laser-induced chemical liquid-phase deposition is proposed. It allows for the fabrication of gold micropatterns inside the laser-written trace on a glass substrate. The reduction and deposition of gold inside and outside the laser-ablated channel were confirmed. The presence of Au nanoparticles on the surface of the laser-written micropattern is revealed by atomic force microscopy. The specific resistivity of the gold trace formed by ultrafast light-assisted metal micropatterning on a dielectric glass substrate is estimated as 0.04 ± 0.02 mΩ·cm. The obtained results empower the method of the selective laser-assisted deposition of metals on dielectrics and are of interest for the development of microelectronic components and catalysts, heaters, and sensors for lab-on-a-chip devices.

Direct femtosecond laser writing of tracks in the volume of silver-containing zinc phosphate glass is investigated. Tracks were written by the femtosecond laser irradiation with the wavelength of 1030 nm, the pulse duration of 180 fs and a scanning speed of 1 mm/s. The data shows the effect of the pulse repetition rate (10, 100 and 500 kHz) and the pulse energy (60–120 nJ) on the microstructure and optical properties of the laser-written tracks. The data was collected by optical microscopy in the brightfield and fluorescence mode. Moreover, the data shows the dependence of the width and height of the laser-written tracks on the pulse energy and pulse repetition rate.

Gold nanoparticles precipitated in transparent glass-ceramics could pave the way for the development of multifunctional materials that are in demand in modern photonics and optics. In this work, we explored the effect of gold nanoparticles on the crystallization, microstructure, and optical properties of ZnO-MgO-Al2O3-SiO2 glass containing TiO2 and ZrO2 as nucleating agents. X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, Raman, and optical spectroscopy were used for the study. We showed that gold nanoparticles have no effect on the formation of gahnite nanocrystals during the glass heat treatments, while optical properties of the glass-ceramics are strongly dependent on the gold addition. A computational model was developed to predict optical properties of glass during the crystallization, and the possibility for adjusting the localized surface plasmon resonance band position with the heat treatment temperature was shown.

Glass is the most common material around us, and humankind uses it every day for more than 5000 years. However, from the chemical point of view, glass is the only material that could represent almost all elements of the Periodic Table inside itself, showing the effect of the Periodic Law on properties of the final material. In this paper, we show the most remarkable examples demonstrating that glass can rightfully be called “home” for all chemical elements providing different properties depending on its composition. We gave a new look at the Periodic Table and described how a small number of glass-forming components creates unique glass structure which could enclose almost all remaining elements including transition and noble metals, lanthanides and actinides as modifying components providing an inconceivable number of discoveries in material science. Moreover, we reviewed a series of studies on the direct femtosecond laser writing in glasses which paves the way for a redistribution of chemical elements in the spatially confined nanosized zone in glass volume providing unique properties of laser-induced structures. Finally, for the first time, we reproduce the Periodic Table in birefringence colors in the bulk of silica glass using a direct laser writing technique. This image of 3.6 × 2.4 mm size can withstand temperature up to 900°C, humidity, electromagnetic fields, powerful cosmic and reactor radiation and other environmental factors and demonstrates both the art of direct laser writing and symbolic role of glass as the safest and eternal home for the Periodic Table.

Recently, the effect of nanograting formation was demonstrated for binary sodium borate glass with the possibility of data storage with an enhanced level of security. The obvious disadvantage of such glass is poor chemical stability, which limits real applications. In this paper, we show that the introduction of Al2O3 allows preserving the possibility of nanograting formation with a significant increase of chemical resistance and thus to preserve optical memory applications. On the other hand, the possibility of selective etching of laser-written tracks by means of distilled water is revealed, which was not demonstrated for other types of glasses. The dependence of retardance of nanogratings form birefringence on laser writing parameters is established and discussed. Structural features of laser-modified microdomains are studied via Raman spectroscopy which revealed an increase of three-coordinated boron content. A possible mechanism of selective etching is discussed.