NUCLEATION AND COALESCENCE PHENOMENA IN THE TRANSFORMATION OF SEMICONDUCTOR-DOPED GLASSES

The nucleation, coalescence and growth of semiconductor particles prec ipitated from supersaturated silicate and phosphate glasses have been investigated using a number of II-IV, III-V and elemental semiconducto r particles. The nucleation phenomena and the resulting microstructure are of intense interest for optical device applications and have beco me one useful way of creating quantum dot structures. This overview hi ghlights the processing, structure, and thermodynamic-kinetic aspects of these nanophase composite materials with a special focus on the opt ical absorption, luminescence of the glasses after the ''striking'' he at treatments.