Structural, Optical, and Electrical Investigation of Polyvinyl Alcohol Thin Film Doped with Gold Core and Silver Shell Nanoparticles

Gold core and silver shell ( C^AuS^Ag ) nanoparticles (NPs) fabricated by an efficient synthetic route have been used to fabricate polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) nanocomposite (NC) thin films by solution casting technique. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and UV–visible absorption spectroscopy confirmed the core–shell structure of C^AuS^Ag NPs. UV–visible spectroscopy data has been analyzed to obtain various linear as well as nonlinear optical parameters. The current–voltage characteristics have been examined to find out the exact conduction mechanism accountable for the movement of charge carriers in these NC films. Graphical abstract