Differential (wavelength-modulated) absorption of sulfoselenide solid-solut
ion nanocrystals has been studied in a glassy fluorophosphate matrix near t
he fundamental absorption edge at 360-620 nm. The observed oscillations in
the absorption are attributed to size quantization of electrons and holes u
nder strong quantum-confinement conditions. The sulfur content in the mixed
semiconductor has been refined from Raman scattering spectra in CdSxSe1-x
samples with x = 0.30, and the nanocrystal size (R congruent to 30 Angstrom
) has been derived from low-frequency Raman scattering spectra. These data
were used to calculate the energies of electron-hole transitions in nanocry
stals of mixed composition, and their subsequent comparison with experiment
. The calculations were found to be in a good agreement with the observed e
xperimental absorption spectrum for nanocrystals about 45 Angstrom in size.
The applicability of band-structure simulation for a nonspherical nanocrys
tal grown in a fluorophosphate glass matrix is discussed. (C) 1999 American
Institute of Physics. [S1063-7834(99)03008-7].