Quantum effects in anisotropic semiconductor clusters: Colloidal suspensions of Bi2S3 and Sb2S3

B. F. Variano, D. M. Hwang, C. J. Sandroff, P. Wiltzius, T. W. Jing, N. P. Ong

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

50 Scopus citations

Abstract

Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), optical absorption, dynamic light scattering, and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) have been used to characterize colloidal clusters of Bi2S3 and Sb2S3. These layered semiconductor clusters were found by TEM to grow to sizes ranging from 16 to 90 Å. Consistent with quantum confinement of charge earners in small microcrystalline volumes, the optical absorption spectra were blue-shifted ≈0.7 eV from the bulk band gaps of the materials. These small clusters escaped detection by in situ dynamic light scattering, and only particles roughly 5 times larger could be readily detected. Preliminary results with a scanning tunneling microscope seem to support the amsotropic disklike geometry of the clusters, and for Bi2S3 we estimate cluster thicknesses of 20-30 Å. With the TEM and STM measurements of the cluster geometry and a simple particle-in-a-box model, we calculate band edge shifts which are in reasonable accord with the optical experiments.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)6455-6458
Number of pages4
JournalJournal of physical chemistry
Volume91
Issue number26
DOIs
StatePublished - 1987

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • General Engineering
  • Physical and Theoretical Chemistry

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Quantum effects in anisotropic semiconductor clusters: Colloidal suspensions of Bi2S3 and Sb2S3'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this