Aluminum nanoparticles synthesis in spark discharge for ultraviolet plasmonics

Abstract

Abstract In this paper, we demonstrate an ability to produce aerosol metal Al nanoparticles with plasmon resonance in the ultraviolet region in a spark discharge generator in pure argon atmosphere. The sizes of the obtained primary particles with metal Al core and natural oxide shell in the range from 4 to 50 nm, which were collected in agglomerates with mean size from 190 to 260 nm, were observed. Simulation extinction spectra according to Mi theory for obtained particle ensembles were calculated. It was experimentally and theoretically found that obtained nanoparticles ensembles demonstrate the broad extinction peaks with maximum below 250 nm depending on the synthesis conditions.