Optical Properties of Hexagonal and Cubic ZnS Nanoribbons: Experiment and Theory

Optical properties of hexagonal and cubic ZnS nanoribbons are studied by using valence electron energy loss spectroscopy (VEELS) and ab initio band structure calculations. The peaks in VEELS are assigned to interband transitions by comparing the interband transition strengths with the calculated densities of states. The optical properties are deduced from the experimental VEELS, and the theoretical calculations give consistent results. This combination of experimental and theoretical approaches provides a comprehensive understanding of the optical properties of polytype ZnS.