Magnetooptic properties of semiconductor quantum dots in glass composites

Magneto-optic studies of rare earth containing sodium silicate glasses and semiconductor quantum dots in glass composites: Nonlinear effects

“…Experimental evidence exists which supports the contention that there exists intermediate-range order in glasses [19,45,41,42,[46][47][48][49]. There is evidence stemming from Raman spectroscopy in which low-lying, with respect to energy, Raman vibrational peaks called "Boson peaks", are associated with what has been termed, "intermediate range order" [19,45,41,42] in glasses.…”

“…These kinks have an on-set magnetic field value that is lower than for the quantum dot case. This raises the possibility of potential bounded regions of intermediate range order of 2-10 nm in size, and such regions are established from Raman measurements of Boson peaks [19,41]. These regions or domains present a unifying factor between kinks in the quantum dots and the kinks seen in the rare-earth doped glasses.…”

“…Glasses exist on a continuum between the crystalline and the liquid or gaseous state. Here, [19,45,41,42], it is noted that glasses represent a physical state in which, in effect, a glassy liquid is cooled very rapidly (quenched) than it may for a crystal. The net result is that it becomes an amorphous solid, with regions of nanoscale inhomogeneities; which then has some characteristics of crystalline material.…”

“…There is evidence stemming from Raman spectroscopy in which low-lying, with respect to energy, Raman vibrational peaks called "Boson peaks", are associated with what has been termed, "intermediate range order" [19,45,41,42] in glasses. The intermediate range order, possessing a size range of 2-6 nm appears to be relatively independent of the glass composition, and is thus a robust phenomenon.…”

“…Faraday rotation studies on nano-crystalline CdS, CdSe and CdTe-glass composites have also been carried out and their Verdet constants are at least one order of magnitude larger than SiO 2 glass. With strong effects on the Faraday rotation being dependent on the individual quantum dot size and their distribution [19].…”