Optical and Saturation Behavior of Thermally Surface Plasmon-Tuned Cu Nanorod Composite Glasses

In this work, the optical and nonlinear optical properties of copper (Cu) nanocomposite glasses have been reported. Cu nanocomposite glasses are prepared through ion exchange process, further thermal annealing yields the shape variations. Optical absorption studies reveal the dual bands in the vicinity of surface plasmon absorption; this is attributed to the shape changes after thermal annealing and theoretical predictions, using Gans theory for nonspherical metal nanoparticles, about absorption maxima is well agreed with the optical absorption data. The investigations of fluorescence signify the possibility of Cu+ ions in the glass matrix along with Cu nanoparticles. Nonlinear optical studies show saturation behavior, which is due to plasmon band bleach.