Wurtzite to Rocksalt Phase Transformation of Cadmium Selenide Nanocrystals via Laser-Induced Shock Waves: Transition from Single to Multiple Nucleation

Joshua S. Wittenberg, Maxwell G. Merkle, and A. Paul Alivisatos

Phys. Rev. Lett. 103, 125701 – Published 17 September 2009

Abstract

The behavior of CdSe nanocrystals shocked to stresses of 2–3.75 GPa has been studied. Above 3 GPa a near-complete disappearance of the first excitonic feature and broadening of the low-energy absorption edge were observed, consistent with a wurtzite to rocksalt structural transformation. The transformation pressure is reduced relative to hydrostatic compression in a diamond anvil cell, and the rate increases, attributed to shock induced shear stress along the reaction coordinate. The especially rapid rate observed for a 3.75 GPa shock suggests multiple nucleation events per particle.

Received 8 June 2009

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.103.125701

Authors & Affiliations

Joshua S. Wittenberg, Maxwell G. Merkle, and A. Paul Alivisatos^*

Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley California 94720, USA and Materials Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley California 94720, USA

^*alivis@uclink4.berkeley.edu

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Vol. 103, Iss. 12 — 18 September 2009

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