Characterization of silver nanomeshes generated by laser-induced photoreduction from a solid silver nitrate thin film

This study characterizes electrical properties of silver thin films with meshed nanostructures fabricated through the photoreduction of solid silver nitrate thin films using excimer laser irradiation. Variations of mesh morphology as functions of laser irradiation time and fluences are examined; and the relationship between the film’s electrical resistance and mesh structure are addressed. The course of nanomesh formation can be separated into two main phases: precipitation of silver nanoparticles as a result of photoreduction; and, formation of mesh nanostructures through the photothermal effect. The resulting electrical resistance depends strongly on the mesh nanostructure. With a suitable arrangement of laser fluence and irradiation time, silver thin films with well interconnected nanomeshes can be fabricated. Results show that silver thin films with low electrical resistivity, down to 8.5×10−8 Ω m, are easily obtainable. The laser reduction approach takes advantage of the flexibility in local patterning. Moreover, the reduction is from a solid silver nitrate thin film and is executed in the ambient environment that renders this approach a potential method for low-temperature fabrication of metallic electrode conductors for organic electronics.