Photolytic formation of Ag nanoparticles in oligomeric organosiloxanes : new photolithographic routes to metallodielectric microperiodic structures

A single-step, room temperature photolithographic route to fabricate periodic metallodielectric microstructures is reported. Ag nanoparticles in organosiloxane sols were first generated through the well-established method of AgCl photoreduction. Evolution of the shape, size and distribution of Ag nanoparticles in the fluid sols upon irradiation with white light was characterised in detail through optical extinction spectroscopy and transmission …