LAUSR

Abstract Synthesis of Ag nanoparticles embedded soda lime glass with a 200 keV Argon ion beam at an off-normal angle of 30° has been presented in this report. Formation of nanoparticles was substantiated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), glancing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXRD) and UV–Visible absorption spectroscopy. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used to study topography and evolution of surface roughness of synthesized samples with dose. Structural modifications induced in glass on embedding Ag nanoparticles were investigated using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Raman spectroscopy, Rutherford back scattering spectrometry (RBS) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). UV–Visible spectroscopy results were further analyzed for computing different optical constants like refractive index, optical energy gap and Urbach energy. UV–Visible transmission spectra revealed the presence of a narrow band in the UV region which hints towards the utility of such samples as UV based narrow bandpass filters. Emission bands observed in photoluminescence spectra originated due to 3DJ ( J = 1 , 2 , 3 )→1S0 and 1D2→1S0 transitions amid the energy levels of Ag+ ions and Ag+ pairs. The current-voltage characteristics of the samples were further examined to study their electrical behavior and revealed that the electrical conductivity increased 5 times for the sample fabricated at highest dose in comparison to the pristine glass.