The relationship between tunable optical absorption and SERS activity of Ag/ZnO nanocomposites

The optical characteristics of Ag/ZnO composite nanostructures have long been of particular interest and, thus, the subject of broad experimental and theoretical studies. This work is focused on the synthesis and properties of Ag/ZnO nanocomposites and demonstrates the possibility of their application as active substrates for surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) in detection of pesticides. The samples were synthesized by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) of ZnO thin films, followed by Ag⁺-ion implantation in the ZnO matrix and by laser annealing of the heterostructures produced. The morphology and properties of the samples were studied with respect to the processing parameters. The optical absorption studies revealed the existence of tunable surface plasmon resonance of silver nanoparticles in the ZnO matrix. Theoretical calculations of the optical properties, as extinction, absorption and scattering efficiencies, were performed based on a generalized multi-particle Mie (GMM) approach. The simulated system assumed in this comparative study consists of a surface-embedded ensemble of silver nanoparticles in a ZnO surrounding media and in air. The simulated structures were reproduced from the corresponding SEM images after laser annealing at 355 nm and 532 nm.