A single-step melt-quench in situ thermochemical reduction technique has been used to synthesize a new series of Au degrees nanoparticles embedded antimony glass-ceramic (K2O-B2O3-Sb2O3-ZnO) dichroic nanocomposites. X-ray and selected area electron diffractions manifest growth of Au degrees nanoparticles along (2 0 0) planes. The particle sizes obtained from X-ray diffraction patterns are found to vary in the range 4-21 nm. Dichroic behavior is attributed to the elliptical shape gold nanoparticles having aspect ratio 1.2, as observed from the transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images. The Au degrees nanoparticles exhibit surface plasmon resonance band (SPR) around 600 nm, which experiences red-shifts with increasing Au concentration. These nanocomposites when co-doped with Sm2O3 and excited at 949 nm, exhibit 2-fold intensification of 636 nm red emission transition ((4)G(5/2) -> H-6(9/2)) due to SPR induced local field enhancement of Au degrees nanoparticles and are promising materials for display applications. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.