Synthesis, characterization, and third-order nonlinear optical properties of copper quantum dots embedded in sodium borosilicate glass

Copper quantum dots embedded in sodium borosilicate glass matrix were fabricated and analyzed in terms of their structural, chemical, and optical properties. X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analyses revealed that copper quantum dots were in face-centered-cubic crystalline phase and in the metallic state. Size and distribution of the quantum dots were measured by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) as well as high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). The results showed spherical shape have formed uniformly in the glass, and the size of these quantum dots were range from 1.5 to 5   nm with the average particle size about 2.7   nm. The third-order nonlinear optical properties of copper quantum dots doped glass were investigated by using Z-scan technique at the wavelength of 800   nm with femtosecond Ti: sapphire laser radiation. The value of third-order optical nonlinear susceptibility χ (3) of the glass was estimated to be 2.41   ×   10 −11   esu.