Properties of CdS nanocrystallites embedded in to thin ZrO2 waveguides

In this paper we present results on CdS nanocrystal (NC) formation in ZrO2 thin film grown by sol–gel process. Raman and waveguiding Raman scattering spectroscopies were applied to determine CdS nanocrystal precipitation in our films. RBS (Rutherford back scattering) and optical absorption spectroscopy were applied to determine CdS distribution homogeneity through the layer depth, NC size and dispersion. Thus we obtained low size dispersed CdS nanocrystals with preparation temperature controlled size. Moreover, Raman and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) evidenced simultaneous correlated crystallisation of hexagonal CdS and tetragonal/monoclinic ZrO2 phases. We applied also light induced dynamic grating technique under high excitation conditions in order to analyse dynamic properties of nonequilibrium charge carriers in thin films.