The refractive index of silver nanowire networks: a heuristic approach to the foundations of the optical constants, from experiment to theory
Abstract This study employs Mie’s scattering theory and van de Hulst’s mixing model to predict the refractive indices (n, k) of silver nanowire (AgNW) networks in the visible and near-infrared wavelengths, allowing the comparison to the experimentally determined k spectra. Transmittance spectra calc...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Springer
2025-08-01
|
| Series: | Discover Nano |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s11671-025-04312-9 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849332238559215616 |
|---|---|
| author | Amaury Baret Julia Baumgarten François Balty Frédéric Rabecki Jérémy Brisbois Buyun Zheng Daniel Bellet Ngoc Duy Nguyen |
| author_facet | Amaury Baret Julia Baumgarten François Balty Frédéric Rabecki Jérémy Brisbois Buyun Zheng Daniel Bellet Ngoc Duy Nguyen |
| author_sort | Amaury Baret |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract This study employs Mie’s scattering theory and van de Hulst’s mixing model to predict the refractive indices (n, k) of silver nanowire (AgNW) networks in the visible and near-infrared wavelengths, allowing the comparison to the experimentally determined k spectra. Transmittance spectra calculated via the numerical resolution of Fresnel’s equations are compared to experimental data, showing excellent agreement, particularly for nanowires with larger diameters and at shorter wavelengths. These findings, both theoretical and empirical, pave the way for accurate optical simulations of metallic nanowire networks, supporting their integration into complex multilayer systems and devices such as displays or smart windows. Notably, our work proposes the first demonstration of the dominance of the metallic character of AgNW networks over their dielectric behavior in terms of optical response. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-153e196e7ef6440ebabe90e714f10d6b |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2731-9229 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | Springer |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Discover Nano |
| spelling | doaj-art-153e196e7ef6440ebabe90e714f10d6b2025-08-20T03:46:16ZengSpringerDiscover Nano2731-92292025-08-0120111210.1186/s11671-025-04312-9The refractive index of silver nanowire networks: a heuristic approach to the foundations of the optical constants, from experiment to theoryAmaury Baret0Julia Baumgarten1François Balty2Frédéric Rabecki3Jérémy Brisbois4Buyun Zheng5Daniel Bellet6Ngoc Duy Nguyen7SPIN, Department of Physics, University of LiègeSPIN, Department of Physics, University of LiègeSPIN, Department of Physics, University of LiègeSTAR, Centre Spatial de LiègeSTAR, Centre Spatial de LiègeUniv. Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, Grenoble INP, LMGPUniv. Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, Grenoble INP, LMGPSPIN, Department of Physics, University of LiègeAbstract This study employs Mie’s scattering theory and van de Hulst’s mixing model to predict the refractive indices (n, k) of silver nanowire (AgNW) networks in the visible and near-infrared wavelengths, allowing the comparison to the experimentally determined k spectra. Transmittance spectra calculated via the numerical resolution of Fresnel’s equations are compared to experimental data, showing excellent agreement, particularly for nanowires with larger diameters and at shorter wavelengths. These findings, both theoretical and empirical, pave the way for accurate optical simulations of metallic nanowire networks, supporting their integration into complex multilayer systems and devices such as displays or smart windows. Notably, our work proposes the first demonstration of the dominance of the metallic character of AgNW networks over their dielectric behavior in terms of optical response.https://doi.org/10.1186/s11671-025-04312-9Refractive indicesMie theorySilver nanowire networks |
| spellingShingle | Amaury Baret Julia Baumgarten François Balty Frédéric Rabecki Jérémy Brisbois Buyun Zheng Daniel Bellet Ngoc Duy Nguyen The refractive index of silver nanowire networks: a heuristic approach to the foundations of the optical constants, from experiment to theory Discover Nano Refractive indices Mie theory Silver nanowire networks |
| title | The refractive index of silver nanowire networks: a heuristic approach to the foundations of the optical constants, from experiment to theory |
| title_full | The refractive index of silver nanowire networks: a heuristic approach to the foundations of the optical constants, from experiment to theory |
| title_fullStr | The refractive index of silver nanowire networks: a heuristic approach to the foundations of the optical constants, from experiment to theory |
| title_full_unstemmed | The refractive index of silver nanowire networks: a heuristic approach to the foundations of the optical constants, from experiment to theory |
| title_short | The refractive index of silver nanowire networks: a heuristic approach to the foundations of the optical constants, from experiment to theory |
| title_sort | refractive index of silver nanowire networks a heuristic approach to the foundations of the optical constants from experiment to theory |
| topic | Refractive indices Mie theory Silver nanowire networks |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s11671-025-04312-9 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT amaurybaret therefractiveindexofsilvernanowirenetworksaheuristicapproachtothefoundationsoftheopticalconstantsfromexperimenttotheory AT juliabaumgarten therefractiveindexofsilvernanowirenetworksaheuristicapproachtothefoundationsoftheopticalconstantsfromexperimenttotheory AT francoisbalty therefractiveindexofsilvernanowirenetworksaheuristicapproachtothefoundationsoftheopticalconstantsfromexperimenttotheory AT fredericrabecki therefractiveindexofsilvernanowirenetworksaheuristicapproachtothefoundationsoftheopticalconstantsfromexperimenttotheory AT jeremybrisbois therefractiveindexofsilvernanowirenetworksaheuristicapproachtothefoundationsoftheopticalconstantsfromexperimenttotheory AT buyunzheng therefractiveindexofsilvernanowirenetworksaheuristicapproachtothefoundationsoftheopticalconstantsfromexperimenttotheory AT danielbellet therefractiveindexofsilvernanowirenetworksaheuristicapproachtothefoundationsoftheopticalconstantsfromexperimenttotheory AT ngocduynguyen therefractiveindexofsilvernanowirenetworksaheuristicapproachtothefoundationsoftheopticalconstantsfromexperimenttotheory AT amaurybaret refractiveindexofsilvernanowirenetworksaheuristicapproachtothefoundationsoftheopticalconstantsfromexperimenttotheory AT juliabaumgarten refractiveindexofsilvernanowirenetworksaheuristicapproachtothefoundationsoftheopticalconstantsfromexperimenttotheory AT francoisbalty refractiveindexofsilvernanowirenetworksaheuristicapproachtothefoundationsoftheopticalconstantsfromexperimenttotheory AT fredericrabecki refractiveindexofsilvernanowirenetworksaheuristicapproachtothefoundationsoftheopticalconstantsfromexperimenttotheory AT jeremybrisbois refractiveindexofsilvernanowirenetworksaheuristicapproachtothefoundationsoftheopticalconstantsfromexperimenttotheory AT buyunzheng refractiveindexofsilvernanowirenetworksaheuristicapproachtothefoundationsoftheopticalconstantsfromexperimenttotheory AT danielbellet refractiveindexofsilvernanowirenetworksaheuristicapproachtothefoundationsoftheopticalconstantsfromexperimenttotheory AT ngocduynguyen refractiveindexofsilvernanowirenetworksaheuristicapproachtothefoundationsoftheopticalconstantsfromexperimenttotheory |