Optical and electrical properties of polymer metal nanocomposites prepared by magnetron co-sputtering

Abstract Polymer-metal nanocomposite films were prepared by co-sputtering from two independent magnetron sources as well as from a silver-polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) composite target. By sputtering from two magnetrons we prepared both, samples with a metal gradient and homogenous composite films. The dielectric constant depends on the metal filling factor and increases approaching the percolation threshold. The resistivity drops from 10 7 to 10 − 3 Ω cm over a narrow range of metal content. The thin composite films show a strong optical absorption in the visible region and a red shift with increasing silver filling. We have produced Bragg reflectors using multilayer systems of composites and pure sputtered PTFE.