Thermo-optical response of layered Bi nanostructures produced by pulsed laser deposition

This work reports optical transmission changes in layered Bi nanostructures (NSs) upon heating–cooling cycles up to temperatures above the melting temperature. The nanostructured films prepared by pulsed laser deposition consist of Bi NSs with different characteristic sizes that are organised in layers and embedded in an amorphous Al2O3 host. The spectral dependence of the optical transmission as well as its changes upon heating are reported. The combination of Bi NSs layers with more than one characteristic size allows controlling the width of the melting–solidification transition. Eventually, it is shown how a multiple temperature thermo-optical film can be designed and prepared.