The copper nanoparticles have been grown in silica matrix by annealing of the matrix impregnated with the copper nitrate. The annealing has been performed in air, successively in air and hydrogen, and in hydrogen. The transmission electron spectroscopy and optical spectroscopy studies of the copper nanoparticles in silica matrix have been performed. Depending on the conditions of annealing, the Cu nanoparticles in size range 2-65 nm are grown. At annealing in air the nanoparticles of the copper oxide (Cu₂O) are grown as well. The copper nanoparticles of two types are grown: spherical large "mature" particles and elliptical small "seed"-particles. The surface plasmon peak has been observed clearly in absorption spectra of Cu nanoparticles. The peak demonstrates slight blue shift with decrease of particle size. The half-width of the surface plasmon peak decreases appreciably at the lowering of temperature from 293 K to 77 and 4.2K that is due to strong electron-phonon interaction. The low-frequency Raman scattering data are in agreement with electron microscopy and absorption data. The photoluminescence from the copper nanoparticles has been observed. It is shown that the efficiency of the luminescence increases appreciably at the decrease of particle size. The observed increase is explained, probably, by the coupling of the excited incoming and outgoing emitted photons with surface plasmon.

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