The photochemical growth of metallic particles on the surface of single crystal relaxor ferroelectric strontium barium niobate (SrxBa1-xNb2O6 or SBN:100x) is reported here. Silver and gold particles were deposited on unpoled (001) and (100) surfaces of SBN:61 by reduction of silver nitrate and gold chloride solutions under UV illumination. Wavelength-dependent experiments reveal that differences in the particle deposition pattern on the (001) and (100) surfaces can be primarily attributed to the anisotropic optical absorption of SBN. Particle deposition on electric field poled (001) SBN:60 show enhanced particle deposition on positive domains, and suppressed deposition on negative domains, with unusual deposition patterns observed on the perimeter of domains obtained from incomplete switching. Based on our experimental observations, we propose a band diagram for the SBN/solution interface and discuss mechanisms influencing particle deposition. Further, we investigate the effect of the deposited metallic particles on the wettability of the SBN surface and the realization of surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS).

Photoinduced metallic particle growth on single crystal relaxor ferroelectric strontium barium niobate

256th National Meeting (2018)

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