Influence of silver nanoclusters on formation of PbS quantum dots in glasses

Heat-treatment was used to precipitate PbS quantum dots (QDs) in silicate glasses doped with different amounts of Ag(2)O, and the influence of Ag(2)O on QDs was investigated. Under given heat-treatment conditions, the absorption coefficients and photoluminescence intensities of PbS QDs increased with the addition of Ag(2)O. Ag clusters formed by thermal treatment nucleated formation of PbS QDs in glasses. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.