Transparent electrooptical nanocomposite thick films by serosol deposition method for application to ultrahigh-speed optical switches

We prepared high transparent electrooptical gold/lead zirconate titanate (PZT) nanocomposite thick films by aerosol deposition method (ADM) for the first time and report their enhanced surface plasmon resonance (SPR) properties. ADM has been attracting much attention for its ability to deposit complex composite films at a high deposition rate and a low process temperature. Composite metal-dielectric powders are prepared from submicron particles of PZT and nano particles of gold (10-40 nm) with concentrations below 1 wt%. Nanocomposite gold/PZT 3-mum-thick film acquired enhanced SPR at approximately 640 nm as a result of annealing. The SPR position in nanocomposite films deposited by ADM can be precisely controlled by adjusting the dielectric constant of the host matrix by annealing.. Moreover, nano gold particles were spatially very well distributed in the PZT matrix and showed no growth in spite of annealing at 600degC.