Electrodeposited quantum dots IV. Epitaxial short-range order in amorphous semiconductor nanostructures

• Published in: Surface science 1996-04, Vol.350 (1), p.277-284
• Main Authors: Golan, Yuval, Ter-Ovanesyan, Evgeny, Manassen, Yishay, Margulis, Lev, Hodes, Gary, Rubinstein, Israel, Bithell, Erica G., Hutchison, John L.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Amorphous thin films; Cadmium selenide; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Crystalline-amorphous interfaces; Electrochemical methods; Electron microscopy; Epitaxy; Exact sciences and technology; Low-dimensional structures (superlattices, quantum well structures, multilayers): structure, and nonelectronic properties; Palladium; Physics; Quantum effects; Surfaces and interfaces; thin films and whiskers (structure and nonelectronic properties)
• ISSN: 0039-6028; 1879-2758
• DOI: 10.1016/0039-6028(95)01134-X

The structure of diffraction-amorphous CdSe (a-CdSe) quantum dots (QDs) electrodeposited on evaporated Pd substrate was studied by high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), and compared with epitaxial (crystalline) QDs obtained by the same procedure on Au, as well as with a simulated image of random a-CdSe. Digital analysis of HRTEM images established the existence of repeating ordered motifs in a-CdSe QDs on Pd substrates, in the form of epitaxial sub-nanometre to nanometre size clusters. The QDs are shown to be intermediate between crystalline and random amorphous material. Digital Fourier analysis indicated epitaxial relationship with the 111inPd substrate, rotated 30° relative to the orientational relationship on 111 Au.