Aerosol assisted chemical vapor deposition using nanoparticle precursors: a route to nanocomposite thin films.

Gold nanoparticle and gold/semiconductor nanocomposite thin films have been deposited using aerosol assisted chemical vapor deposition (CVD). A preformed gold colloid in toluene was used as a precursor to deposit gold films onto silica glass. These nanoparticle films showed the characteristic plasmon absorption of Au nanoparticles at 537 nm, and scanning electron microscopic (SEM) imaging confirmed the presence of individual gold particles. Nanocomposite films were deposited from the colloid concurrently with conventional CVD precursors. A film of gold particles in a host tungsten oxide matrix resulted from co-deposition with [W(OPh)(6)], while gold particles in a host titania matrix resulted from co-deposition with [Ti(O(i)Pr)(4)]. The density of Au nanoparticles within the film could be varied by changing the Au colloid concentration in the original precursor solution. Titania/gold composite films were intensely colored and showed dichromism: blue in transmitted light and red in reflected light. They showed metal-like reflection spectra and plasmon absorption. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray analysis confirmed the presence of metallic gold, and SEM imaging showed individual Au nanoparticles embedded in the films. X-ray diffraction detected crystalline gold in the composite films. This CVD technique can be readily extended to produce other nanocomposite films by varying the colloids and precursors used, and it offers a rapid, convenient route to nanoparticle and nanocomposite thin films.