On the nature of nanometer-scale islands formed by cadmium selenide deposition on hexagonal cadmium sulfide (0001)A

Abstract

Using ex situ atomic force microscopy, nanometer-scale islands were observed on CdS(0001)A surfaces to appear after deposition of small amounts of CdSe. The sizes of these islands are similar to those reported in atomic force microscopy (AFM) studies of uncapped CdSe/ZnSe structures. Investigations by force modulation microscopy and photoluminescence spectroscopy show, however, that they are difficult to assign to a CdSe Stranski–Krastanow growth. Instead, AFM points to an onset of the island formation with the exposure of the samples to atmosphere. By use of electron microprobe analysis, it is suggested that these islands consist of selenium.