SHI-induced grain growth and grain fragmentation effects in polymer-embedded CdS quantum dot systems

Abstract Quantum dots were fabricated in two varieties of polymer matrices, namely, polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH) and carboxylated styrene butadiene rubber (SBR). They were irradiated with a 100-MeV chlorine beam at fluences 10 11 , 5×10 11 , 5×10 12 and 10 13 ions/cm 2 . The melting of grains and coalesce of quantum dots have been observed in case of powder CdS and PVOH-embedded CdS quantum dot samples, respectively, while grain bursting predominates in quantum dots embedded in SBR hosts, as revealed from high-resolution electron microscopy. The splitting or melting of nanometric grains (quantum dots) was found to be dependent on irradiation fluence and the physical properties of host matrices for the same energy value of the projectile ion.