Synthesis and optical properties of multifunctional CdS nanostructured dielectric nanocomposites

Highly luminescent CdS nanocrystals (NCs) grown in a dielectric (borosilicate glass) matrix have been synthesized by the melt quenching technique. NC sizes are varied by controlling the post thermal treatment durations in the glass matrix and their optical properties have been investigated. The sizes of the CdS NCs calculated from the transmission electron microscopic (TEM) images are found to alter in the range of 4-40 nm. Field emission scanning electron microscopic (FESEM) images reveal the presence of 30-100 nm CdS nanostructures. Photoluminescence (PL) of CdS-glass nanocomposites reveals a sharp green emission peak (similar to 508 nm) due to direct electron-hole recombination along with a broad trap-related emission band. The sharpness, tuning ability of the absorption spectra, and PL covering the visible spectral range are the highest reported to date for any compound semiconductor-dielectric nanocomposite and one single nanocomposite, synthesized by this method, advocating for their potential utilization as functional materials in the fabrication of multiple devices such as luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs), optical color filters, and solid-state lasers. (C) 2014 Optical Society of Americ