| In this project, three sets of spherical multilayer microspheres with radial modulation in the refractive index were synthesized: microspheres made of (1) alternating high-and low-refractive index polymers, (2) gold nanoparticles and polymers, and (3) polymeric layers containing semiconductor quantum dots in the core. In each case, a set of homogeneous particles with the same size and average refractive index were synthesized in order to extract the effect of the multilayered structure. In (1), it was found that the size and index of refraction more strongly influenced the extinction cross-section than did the multilayer character. In (2), the extinction characteristics of the hybrid structures were characterized, and the refractive index due to the addition of gold nanoparticles increased from 1.5 to 1.8. In (3), the photoluminescence changed between the homogeneous and multilayered structures, according to variation in the internal electric field caused by the radius and index of refraction. |
