Nanosized ZnS and PbS crystallites were grown within the pores of amorphous multicomponent silicate films deposited by sol-gel processing. Variation of the pore size (<EQ 2 - 4 nm) and porosity (5 - 33%) of the film caused a corresponding variation in semiconductor crystallite size (<EQ 1 - 4.5 nm) and thin film optical absorbance. These results are consistent with crystal growth constrained within the porous thin film host. Due to the small crystallite sizes, the absorbance spectra of the semiconductors were blue shifted relative to the bulk crystals. Crystallite sizes based on the positions of the absorption edges either underpredicted or overpredicted particles sizes measured by TEM indicating possible inadequacies of the models for such small particle sizes. Constrained growth within controlled pore size films appears to be a general route to composites with tailored properties.

Date Published: 7 December 1992
PDF: 8 pages
Proc. SPIE 1758, Sol-Gel Optics II, (7 December 1992); doi: 10.1117/12.132052

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 1758:
Sol-Gel Optics II
John D. Mackenzie, Editor(s)