Optical phonons and Raman scattering in ternary II–VI spheroidal nanocrystals embedded in a glass matrix

Theoretical and experimental studies of the spatial phonon confinement in ternary CdSxSe1−x nanocrystals embedded in a glass matrix formed by the composites (40)SiO2−(30)Na2CO3–(29)B2O3–(1)Al2O3 (mol%) + [(2)CdO + (2)S + (2)Se] (wt%) were carried out. From the analysis of the surface phonon modes, the theoretical procedure has allowed the determination of the geometrical characteristics of the nanocrystals. The calculated frequencies were compared with the experimental values obtained from the Raman spectra of CdSxSe1−x nanocrystals grown under different thermal treatments. A good correlation between the experimental and calculated CdS-like and CdSe-like surface optical modes was observed. The Raman selection rules and their connection with the nature of the surface optical phonons is discussed in order to use Raman spectroscopy as a probe to determine the composition x and the geometrical shape of the semiconductor nanocrystals.