Ag/PEO nanocomposite fabricated in a planar magnetron sputtering

Thin films of silver (Ag)/polyethylene-oxide (PEO) nanocomposite were fabricated by a co-deposition of Ag sputtering particles and PEO thin film on substrates using a planar magnetron sputtering system. The PEO were polymerized from the monomer ethyl glycol dimethyl ether in the magnetron sputtering (MS) plasma. The nanocomposites were characterized by using UV-visible spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The correlation was performed between the concentrations of Ag and functional group density in Ag/PEO nanocomposites with the discharge parameters, such as sputtering gas pressure and the distance of target-to-substrate. By using AFM and XRD, it is illustrated that the Ag particles distribute uniformly in the body of nanocomposite and remain in atomic status with preferential growth in facet of (111). (c) 2008 Published by Elsevier Ltd.