Direct growth of CdSe semiconductor quantum dots in glass matrix by femtosecond laser beam

Controllable, spatially inhomogeneous distributions of CdSe nanocrystals smaller than the exciton Bohr radius are grown in a glass matrix under combined action of sample heating (below the transformation temperature) and focused high-repetition femtosecond (fs) laser beam. Selective quantum dot precipitation is evidenced by position-dependent absorption and Raman spectra. The particle size is estimated as r=2.1±0.3 nm by comparing the measured absorption and Raman spectra with those obtained from the samples grown in glass by traditional heat-treatment procedure. Direct growth of CdSe quantum dots in glass is enabled by nonlinear excitation using a focused fs duration laser beam (as differentiated from other methods), and this opens an avenue for adjustable selective growth patterns.