Optical Properties of Copper Nanoparticles

Spectral dependences of the light extinction, absorption, and scattering efficiency factors of copper nanoparticles attendant to variations of their radii are calculated. A plasmon maximum is observed on the spectral dependence of the extinction efficiency factor for nanoparticle radii 10–60 nm. The maximum of the absorption efficiency factor is shifted toward red wavelengths with increasing radius of copper nanoparticles. Results are interpreted based on the special features of the spectral dependence of the complex copper refractive index. It is shown that the copper nanoparticles with radius of 35 nm placed into a transparent matrix with refractive index of 1.54 (secondary explosive pentaerythritol tetranitrate) possess a very high value of the absorption efficiency factor (2.9) of the second harmonic of a neodymium laser. Our investigations suggest that the copper nanoparticles are perspective material for application in compositions for optical detonator capsules.