Creating metallic films by laser irradiation of silver ion exchanged glasses

Making silver ion-doped glass by field-assisted ion exchange had so far two major applications: the production of optical waveguides, which utilises the change of refractive index [1], and the generation of silver nanoparticles due to annealing at higher temperatures [2]. Some groups replaced the annealing step by laser irradiation [3, 4], which resulted in low concentration of silver nanoparticles inside the glass. By producing a glass with a high content of silver ions and reducing agents, and irradiating it with intense ns-pulsed laser we managed to produce a metallic silver film on the surface of the glass [5]. This high concentration could be suitable for several applications: plasmonic waveguides, sensing technology, surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy, and circuitry.