Characterization of Nanostructural ZnSe Prepared by Inert Gas Condensation Method

Polycrystalline powder of nanostructural ZnSe was successfully
prepared by Inert Gas Condensation (IGC) method. The Energy Dispersion
Analysis of X-ray (EDAX) showed that the ZnSe films have the atomic ratio of
Zn:Se = 1:1.25. The structure characteristics of the prepared samples were
investigated by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) technique. Materials deposited at
temperatures less than -30 oC show amorphous structure. Also, the asdeposited
(-30 oC) and annealed (80 oC, 60 min) films of 110 nm thick have not
ensured their crystallinity. However, the results of the collected powder that
scraped from the films confirmed the presence of crystalline nanostructural
ZnSe of cubic zinc blende structure with lattice parameter a0 = 0.5670 nm. The
grain size and size distribution of the powder sample was determined by line
profile analysis using WinFit computer program and Fourier analysis. It was
found that crystallite size is ≈ 3.6 nm. The size distribution characterized by
being asymmetrical unimodeal and skewed towards small size with maximum
fraction at crystallite size of ≈ 1.2 nm. On the other hand, the cumulative size
distribution shows that 50% volume fraction exhibits crystallites finer than
2.3nm.