Raman spectroscopy study of CdS nanorods and strain induced by the adsorption of 4-mercaptobenzoic acid

In this study, near- and off-resonance Raman spectra of cadmium sulfide (CdS) quantum rods (NRs) and 4-mercaptobenzoic acid (4-MBA) adsorbed CdS NRs are reported. The envelopes of characteristic optical phonon modes in the near-resonance Raman spectrum of CdS NRs are deconvoluted by following the phonon confinement model. As compared with off-resonant Raman spectra, optical phonon modes scattering cross section is amplified significantly in near-resonance Raman spectra through the Frohlich interaction. The Huang-Rhys factor defining the strength of the Frohlich interaction is estimated (similar to 0.468). Moreover, the adsorption of different concentrations of 4-mercaptobenzoic acid (4-MBA) onto CdS NRs produces surface strain in CdS NRs originating due to surface reconstruction and consequently blue and red shifts in off-resonance (514.5 nm) Raman spectra depending on the concentration of 4-MBA. These consequences are attributed to compressive and tensile strains, respectively. Relative to bulk CdS powder as the reference, strain in CdS NRs increases with decreasing 4-MBA concentrations. In off-resonance Raman spectra of 4-MBA adsorbed CdS NRs, the full width at half maxima of phonon modes (1-LO and 2-LO) and intensity ratio I2-LO/I1-LO increase with decreasing 4-MBA concentration.

Automated summary

In this study, the near- and off-resonance Raman spectra of CdS quantum rods (NRs) and 4-mercaptobenzoic acid (4-MBA) adsorbed CdS NRs were investigated. It was found that the near-resonance Raman spectra showed significant amplification of optical phonon modes scattering cross section due to the Frohlich interaction. The adsorption of 4-MBA onto CdS NRs resulted in surface strain and shifts in the off-resonance Raman spectra.