Fabrication of metal nanocluster and nanoparticles in the CaO-Bi ₂O₃-B₂O₃-Al₂O ₃-TiO₂ glass by irradiation of XeCl pulsed laser

We report the fabrication of nanoparticles that contain metal nanoclusters at the surface of the CaO-B₂O₃-Bi₂O ₃-Al₂O₃-TiO₂ glass using XeCl laser irradiation. We have demonstrated that the surface morphology such as that containing nanoparticles or a smooth flat surface can be controlled by laser irradiation conditions; the laser fluence, repetition rate, and temperature of the glass. The transmission electron microscope (TEM) images of the cross section of the nanoparticles show that the metal nanoclusters were formed inside the nanoparticle by XeCl pulsed laser irradiation, a unique phenomenon different from TiO₂-crystallization achieved by conventional heat-treatment of the glass. Since formation of nanoparticles containing metal nanocluster is a phenomenon different from previous papers about XeCl laser irradiation of oxide glasses, the combined process of pulsed laser irradiation and heat-treatment will open a wide variety of optical glass devices.