Thin film photonic structures based on metal nanocrystals periodically distributed in a dielectric host

In this work, we have produced nanostructured thin films with an absorption that has been varied as a function of the distribution of the nanocrystals (NCs). The NCs have been distributed in layers whose periodicity has been modeled in order to design the required response. To achieve consistent results an experimental-modeling feed-back approach has been followed. The results show that the optical transmission of such a system can be varied from that of a nanocomposite material in which the metal NCs are uniformly distributed in the dielectric volume and thus exhibiting a standard absorption resonance to that of a photonic structure. Some of these configurations have been experimentally produced and the agreement between modeled and experimental results is excellent.