Size dependent optical characterization of semiconductor particle: CdS embedded in polymer matrix

We report the optical investigation and analysis of both nano-sized and micrometer size Cadmium Sulphide particles which is embedded in a transparent polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH) dielectric host material. A designed and fabricated laser based light scattering system using a He-Ne laser of wavelength 632.8nm was used for the measurement and study of the scattering properties of the particles as a function of the scattering angle at this wavelength. An attempt was made to experimentally determine the most significant elements of the Mueller scattering matrix using combinations of randomly and linearly polarized incident laser beam and subsequent analyzers in corresponding orientations. The analysis of the experimental data was done by the method of comparison with theoretically generated data. Novel computational technique, involving single scattering for spherical particles using Mie-theory, was developed and applied. The theoretical data was found to be in good agreement with the experimental data within an acceptable margin of error. The results have proved that the combination of the experimental setup and associated computational method is a highly efficient and reliable in-situ system for monitoring size growth of semiconductor particles in the laboratory.