Some aspects of synthesizing semiconductor nanoparticles embedded in SiO_2 matrix by sol-gel technique

摘要

Sol-gel method was used to deposit composite films of CdS nanoparticles (3-5 nm) embedded in a SiO_2 matrix. Optical and microstructural properties of these composite films with different volume fractions of CdS were studied after post deposition annealing treatments at different temperature (373-473 K) and time (10-120 mins.). The band gap, refractive index and grain sizes were estimated. It was found that the growth mechanism of the above composite films was controlled mainly by thermal diffusion process.