Effective dielectric functions of alkali halide composites and their spectral representation

Infrared spectroscopy of CeO2 nanoparticles using Bergman's spectral representation: effects of phonon confinement and lattice strain

The dielectric function of a cerium oxide nanopowder has been investigated by infrared spectroscopy. The use of Bergman's spectral representation and a semi-quantum dielectric function model allows an accurate retrieval of the main features of the lattice dynamics of this nanocompound. Due to the absence of significant lattice strain or vacancy concentration, the observed differences between the dielectric functions of the nanopowder and a single crystal can be explained mainly by the phenomenon of phonon confinement. The results are validated by comparison to literature data and additional spectroscopic techniques, as well as by direct measurements of powder filling factors.

Real-Time Analysis of Laser-Induced Plasmon Tuning in Nanoporous Glass Composite

Laser-induced structuring in nanoporous glass composites is promising for numerous emerging applications in photonics and plasmonics. Local laser irradiation activates an interplay of photo-thermo-chemical mechanisms that are extremely difficult to control. The choice of optimum laser parameters to fabricate structures with desired properties remains extremely challenging. Another challenging issue is the investigation of the properties of laser-induced buried structures. In this paper, we propose a way to control the plasmonic structures formation inside a nanoporous glass composite with doped silver/copper ions that are induced by laser irradiation. Experimental and numerical investigations both demonstrate the capacities of the procedure proving its validity and application potential. In particular, we register transmitted laser power to analyse and control the modification process. Spectral micro-analysis of the irradiated region shows a multilayer plasmonic structure inside the glass composite. Subsequently, the effective medium theory connects the measured spectral data to the numerically estimated size, concentration, and chemical composition of the secondary phase across the initial GC sample and the fabricated structure.

Nanoscale self-assembly of thermoelectric materials: a review of chemistry-based approaches

This review is concerned with the leading methods of bottom-up material preparation for thermal-to-electrical energy interconversion. The advantages, capabilities, and challenges from a material synthesis perspective are surveyed and the methods are discussed with respect to their potential for improvement (or possibly deterioration) of application-relevant transport properties. Solution chemistry-based synthesis approaches are re-assessed from the perspective of thermoelectric applications based on reported procedures for nanowire, quantum dot, mesoporous, hydro/solvothermal, and microwave-assisted syntheses as these techniques can effectively be exploited for industrial mass production. In terms of energy conversion efficiency, the benefit of self-assembly can occur from three paths: suppressing thermal conductivity, increasing thermopower, and boosting electrical conductivity. An ideal thermoelectric material gains from all three improvements simultaneously. Most bottom-up materials have been shown to exhibit very low values of thermal conductivity compared to their top-down (solid-state) counterparts, although the main challenge lies in improving their poor electrical properties. Recent developments in the field discussed in this review reveal that the traditional view of bottom-up thermoelectrics as inferior materials suffering from poor performance is not appropriate. Thermopower enhancement due to size and energy filtering effects, electrical conductivity enhancement, and thermal conductivity reduction mechanisms inherent in bottom-up nanoscale self-assembly syntheses are indicative of the impact that these techniques will play in future thermoelectric applications.

On the dielectric function tuning of random metal-dielectric nanocomposites for metamaterial applications

The potential of random metal-dielectric nanocomposites as constituent elements of metamaterial structures is explored. Classical effective medium theories indicate that these composites can provide a tunable negative dielectric function with small absorption losses. However, the tuning potential of real random composites is significantly lower than the one predicted by classical theories, due to the underestimation of the spectral range where topological resonances take place. This result suggests that a random mixture consisting of a metal matrix with embedded isolated dielectric inclusions is a promising design guideline for the fabrication of tunable composites for metamaterial purposes.

Generalizations of the Bruggeman equation and a concept of shape-distributed particle composites

We consider generalizations of the classical symmetrical Bruggeman equation based on the concept of shape-distributed particle systems. The use of the Beta distribution for the particle shape is shown to result in some known as well as unknown equations of the effective medium theory. However, these equations yield no percolation threshold. On the other hand, the use of one- and two-dimensional steplike distributions of spheroidal (ellipsoidal) shapes yields a percolation threshold depending on the distribution parameters. The problem of finding the percolation threshold to fit the systems under consideration, as well as the applicability area of the generalized Bruggeman equation and its relation to the Bergman representation, are discussed.

Spectral function of composites from reflectivity measurements

We demonstrate a method of calculating the spectral function of a composite from measured reflectivity data. To solve this inverse problem it is necessary for the reflectivity data to be taken through a strong, high Q, resonance. By analyzing the reststrahlen region of different fill fraction KCl-diamond composites at three different temperatures, we find accurate spectral functions that are independent of temperature with the low temperature data giving the best resolution. These spectral functions are then used to successfully predict the optical response of RbCl-diamond composites.