PbS in polymers. From molecules to bulk solids

Abstract

The transition of PbS from molecular to bulk form has been observed in polymer films. As the particle size decreases the band gap shifts to the blue and eventually approaches the transition energy of the first allowed excited state, X→A, of a PbS molecule. Discrete absorption bands also appear. The electron-hole-in-a-box model with effective mass approximation cannot explain the observed size dependence. We have developed two theoretical models, both including the effect of band nonparabolicity, that successfully explain the observed size dependence down to about 25 Å.