Electric field assisted dissolution of Au rods in gold-doped silicate glass

Dissolution of Au rods in gold-doped silicate glass is observed experimentally during the dc electric field thermal poling. Scanning electron microscopy characterizations show that some Au rods with a high aspect ratio are dissolved to spherelike particles and others still keep an elongated structure, which is well accorded with the absorption spectroscopy results. The mechanism for dissolution of Au particles is attributed to electron tunneling conduction and Au cationic conduction, based on electrical measurements during the electric field assisted dissolution process. Electric field thermal poling provides a promising method for the controlling of structural and optical properties of noble metal-doped silicate glass.