Heavy Ion Irradiation Effects on Cadmium Oxide (CdO) Quantum Dots Prepared by Quenching Method

Cadmium oxide (CdO) quantum dots were synthesized in the laboratory by quenching method using CdO powder sintered at 9000C and ethyl alcohol kept at ice cold temperature. X-ray diffraction investigations reveal the NaCl cubic structure of CdO quantum dots. Addition of ethylenediamine to a portion of reaction mixture containing quantum dots results in the conversion of nanoparticles to nanorods. Heavy ion irradiation using 90 MeV Carbon (C+6) ion beam accelerated at 15 UD Pelletron, with fluence varying from 1011 to 1013 ions/cm2 , produced enlargement in the size of quantum dots revealed by TEM investigations. Heavy ion irradiation effects need to be investigated further, in view of industrial applications of quantum dots.