Single-step lithography-free fabrication of nanoscale broadband radiation sources

In this paper, we present a one-stage method for fabricating hybrid metal-dielectric nanostructures without the use of complex and expensive lithographic processes. The formation of arrays of nanoparticles occurs in the process of irradiation of a two-layer gold-silicon film with simultaneous mixing of materials. In this work, the internal structure of the obtained nanoparticles was studied using the methods of transmission scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and their broadband photoluminescence in the range of 450–900 nm was also demonstrated. These structures are promising as a source of radiation for optical measurements in lab-on-a-chip devices, which was shown by measuring the transmission spectrum of the Rhodamine B dye as an example.