Whole Specimen Analysis of Lead Chalcogenide Nanostructure Morphologies: Implications for Alternative Energy Generation

Characterization of semiconductor nanoparticle (NP) morphologies is demonstrated using the Warren–Averbach (WA) method of powder X-ray diffraction. WA analysis provides crystallographic direction-dependent size distributions. It is as information-rich as electron microscopy, with the benefit of being applicable to a whole specimen. Lead chalcogenide NPs are characterized to demonstrate the analysis. The WA method reflects the homogeneity of quantum dots, differentiates the spheres and cubes from anisotropic morphologies, and distinguishes nanowires via the oriented attachment mechanism versus the solution–liquid–solid method.