Facile preparation of silver nanoparticles in bulk silicate glass by high-repetition-rate picosecond laser pulses

One-step precipitation of Ag nanoparticles in Ag+-doped silicate glasses was achieved through a focused picosecond laser with a high repetition rate. Absorption spectra and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) confirmed that metallic Ag nanoparticles were precipitated within glass samples in the laser-written domain. The surface plasmon absorbance fits well with the experimental absorption spectrum. The nonlinear absorption coefficient β is determined to be 2.47 × 10-14 m/W by fitting the open aperture Z-scan curve, which originated from the intraband transition in the s-p Ag band. The formation mechanism of Ag-glass nanocomposites is discussed as well.