Zn nanoparticles irradiated with swift heavy ions at low fluences; Optically-detected shape elongation induced by nonoverlapping ion tracks

Amekura, Hiroshi*; Ishikawa, Norito; Okubo, Nariaki; Ridgway, M.*; Giulian, R.*; Mitsuishi, Kazuki*; Nakayama, Yoshiko*; Buchal, C.*; Mantl, S.*; Kishimoto, Naoki*

Physical Review B, 83(20), p.205401_1 - 205401_10, 2011/05

https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.83.205401

Elongation of metal nanoparticles (NPs) embedded in silica induced by swift heavy-ion irradiation, from spheres to spheroids, has been evaluated at low fluences by linearly polarized optical absorption spectroscopy. It is important to clarify whether the high fluences, i.e., track overlaps, are essential for the elongation. Zn NPs embedded in silica were irradiated with 200-MeV Xe ions. The comparison with numerical simulation suggested that the elongation of Zn NPs was induced by nonoverlapping ion tracks.