Synchrotron x-ray and optical studies of the structure of HgSe semiconductor nanoclusters confined in zeolite L and zeolite Y

HgSe semiconductor nanoclusters were fabricated in nearly spherical pores of zeolite Y and one-dimensional (1D) tubular pores of zeolite L. Anomalous x-ray scattering (AXS) data sets were collected on both HgSe/zeolite Y and HgSe/zeolite L systems, together with optical studies (Raman and UV-visible absorption). Two distinct structural models were determined by performing the Rietveld refinement on AXS data sets. Given the existence of a pronounced diffuse scattering in both filled zeolites and our refined models without the observed diffuse background, for each system, we propose the existence of an average HgSe nanocluster or a 1D nanostructure and the related disorder within the nanocluster which gives off the diffuse scattering. Optical studies were used to complement our x-ray structural work.