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Tailoring Local Conductivity By The Formation Of Ag Nanoclusters In Sio2 Xerogel Films, Ricky Caperton
Tailoring Local Conductivity By The Formation Of Ag Nanoclusters In Sio2 Xerogel Films, Ricky Caperton
Theses and Dissertations
Porous silicon dioxide thin films were produced via dip-coating and doped with Ag+ by adding AgNO3 to the dipping solution. Nanoparticles were formed within the pores of these films by UV exposure. Nanoparticle formation was confirmed by UV-visible spectroscopy and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). Conductive Atomic Force Microscopy (CAFM) showed that the conductivity of the films decreased upon exposure to UV. This decrease in the conductivity is most likely due to the clustering of charge carriers. Initially, Ag+ ions are attached to negatively charged pore walls in a dense packing network. Upon UV exposure (125 mW @ 266 nm), the …