Metal-Filled Polytetrafluoroethylene Nanostructered Thin Film

Thin metal-filled polyterafluoroethylene films with various metal concentration were produced by co-deposition in vacuum. Metal nanocluster size increased with metal concentration. Films were heated up to 300 °C, their optical spectra were recorded during heating. The changes in plasmon band shape and wavelength of the nanocluster ensemble during heating are not linearly related with metal concentration and heating temperature. This is caused by different thermal behavior of the complex processes, which are taking place in each of the two materials present in the film. The metal cluster size and optical properties of the whole ensemble can be purposefully formed by varying metal nature, its concentration and annealing temperature of the film. Nano- and micro-domains with properties different from original film were generated by focused excimer laser or electron beam. Gold-filled PTFE nano-structured films were used as substrate for surface enhanced Raman scattering measurements of ultrathin film of Rhodamine 6G dye.