Published online by Cambridge University Press: 21 February 2011
We review structural and optical properties of CdSxSe1−x semiconductor nanoparticles embedded in an insulating glass matrix. Vibrational Raman scattering and x-ray diffraction can be used to determine the composition of the crystallites for all X and sizes. Debye-Scherrer broadening of x-ray diffraction peaks from the crystallites yields an average grain size in the semiconductor crystallites of 60Å for the series studied here. Small angle x-ray scattering reveals that the average particle diameter is close to 120Å. Optical absorption, photoluminescence, and photomodulated absorption spectra are interpreted within a spherical quantum well model. Electron-phonon coupling and size distribution effects on the spectra are also discussed.