Nanoparticles of tin dioxide embedded in silica matrix were synthesized by ion implanting a Sn+ ion beam in a silica slide and by annealing in oxidizing atmosphere at 800 °C. A detailed structural and optical characterization was performed by using glancing incidence x-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, optical absorption, and photoluminescence spectroscopies. Metallic tetragonal Β -tin crystalline nanoparticles were formed in the as-implanted sample. The annealing in oxidizing atmosphere promotes the total oxidation of the tin nanoparticles with a preferential migration of the nanoparticles toward the surface of the matrix. A broad blue-violet emission band peaked at 388 nm was observed in the photoluminescence spectra of both the as-implanted and annealed samples, which was attributed to the Sn-related oxygen deficiency center defects and the SnO2 nanoparticles, respectively. © 2009 American Institute of Physics.

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