MONOLAYER INTERFACES AS TEMPLATES FOR PARTICLE GROWTH

Methodologies for the in situ generation of size-quantized semiconductor particulate films (SQSPFs) are described. Cadmium, zinc, lead and copper sulfides have been generated from their divalent metal ion precursors, electrostatically attached to well-compressed negatively charged monolayers by the infusion of hydrogen sulfide. Cadmium selenide has been generated at positively charged dioctadecyldimethylammonium bromide monolayers floating on an aqueous subphase which contained appropriate concentrations of sodium selenosulfate and cadmium nitrilotriacetate. SQSPFs have been characterized by absorption spectra, electron microscopy, scanning tunneling microscopy, X-ray diffraction and electrochemical measurements. Evidence is presented for the oriented growth and preparation-dependent rectification behavior of SQSPFs.