Geometry dependent structural and electronic properties of CdS nanowires: An ab-inito study

Cadmium sulphide nanowires in wurtzite hexagonal and triangular shape have been investigated using density functional theory based ab initio approach. Stability of these nanowires increases with enlarging diameter, evaluated in terms of formation energies. The increase in diameter of these geometric nanowires, reduces the bandgap, however increases the electronic charge carrier mobility. Electron difference density contour analysis reveal almost similar distribution of charges over diametrically large triangular and hexagonal nanowires. These observations further verified for almost same effective mass of negative and positive charge carriers along the length of large diameter nanowires and may be considered for their use in solar cells and Gas/chemical sensors. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.