Strong Quantum Confinement in Ordered PbSe Nanowire Arrays

Ordered PbSe crystalline nanowire arrays have been successfully fabricated in the nanochannels of porous anodic alumina membrane by direct current electrodeposition. X-ray diffraction and selected area electron diffraction investigations demonstrate that the PbSe nanowires have a uniform cubic structure. Electromicroscopy results show that the nanowires are quite ordered with diameters of about 50 nm and lengths up to 5 micrometers. X-ray energy dispersion analysis indicate that Pb:Se is very close to 1:1. The optical absorption spectrum of these PbSe nanowires show that there exist two peaks at 280 and 434 nm, respectively, attribute to excitonic absorption peaks.