Electrical transport studies of Ag nanoclusters embedded in glass matrix

Silver nanoclusters embedded in glass matrices have been obtained by the combined use of ion exchange and subsequent ion implantation. XRD and UV-visible spectro-photometric analysis have confirmed the formation of Ag nano-clusters in the ion-irradiated samples. Temperature-dependent resistivity measurements of the irradiated samples have been found to follow rho (T) proportional to exp root (T-0/T) in the temperature range of 80-280 K. The observed behaviour of p(T) is consistent with charge transport due to hopping between isolated, conducting islands. The separation distance between the conducting islands has been found to be a function of fluence. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.