Optical and structural properties of palladium nanolayers in hydrogen medium

The crystal structure and optical properties of thermal-vacuum deposited palladium nanolayers at the thickness range of 10–130 nm was studied. It was found that Pd nanolayers are polycrystalline and the value of an average crystallite size depends on the layer thickness. The optical transparency of Pd nanolayers was investigated on the radiation wavelength about 0.95 $\mu$m in air and in hydrogen medium (100 vol.%). It was experimentally found that both in air and in hydrogen medium the optical transparency of Pd nanolayers in the thickness range of 10–45 nm obeys the Bouger law. The thickness range of Pd thin films suitable for practical application in hydrogen sensor was determined.