title: Electron beam-induced formation of crystalline nanoparticle chains from amorphous cadmium hydroxide nanofibers.
abstract: Quantum dots (QDs) and especially quantum dot arrays have been attracting tremendous attention due to their potential applications in various high-tech devices, including QD lasers, solar cells, single photon emitters, QD memories, etc. Here, a dendrimer-based approach for the controlled synthesis of ultra-thin amorphous cadmium hydroxide nanofibers was developed. The fragmentation of the obtained nanofibers in crystalline nanoparticle chains under the irradiation with electron beam was observed in both ambient and cryo-conditions. Based on the experimental results, a model for the formation of amorphous nanofibers, as well as their transformation in crystalline nanoparticle chains is proposed. We foresee that these properties of the nanofibers, combined with the possibility to convert cadmium hydroxide into CdX (X=O, S, Se, Te), could result in a new method for the preparation of 2D and 3D QDs-arrays with numerous potential applications in high performance devices.
authors.affiliation: Technische Universität Dresden, Organic Chemistry of Polymers, 01062 Dresden, Germany; Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research Dresden, Hohe Str. 6, D-01069 Dresden, Germany. Electronic address: stoychev@ipfdd.de.
authors.forename: Georgi V
authors.initials: GV
authors.lastname: Stoychev
authors.affiliation: Nano-Science Center, Department of Chemistry, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 5C, 2100, Denmark.
authors.forename: Denis V
authors.initials: DV
authors.lastname: Okhrimenko
authors.affiliation: Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research Dresden, Hohe Str. 6, D-01069 Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Dietmar
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Appelhans
authors.affiliation: Technische Universität Dresden, Organic Chemistry of Polymers, 01062 Dresden, Germany; Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research Dresden, Hohe Str. 6, D-01069 Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Brigitte
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Voit
keywords: Cadmium hydroxide; Nanofiber; QD arrays; cryoTEM