Light emission from Si nanoclusters formed at low temperatures
- Department of Engineering Physics, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4L7 (Canada)
Photoluminescence (PL) from amorphous Si nanoclusters (Si-ncls) formed by thin-film deposition via electron-cyclotron resonance plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition followed by annealing at temperatures {<=}875 deg. C has been investigated. We find that Si-ncls grow very slowly after their initial nucleation at low temperatures. An increase in the size of Si-ncls, which can be controlled by the annealing temperature, induces a redshift in the Si-ncl PL peak. While the emitted optical power is more than 100 times smaller than that of Si nanocrystals formed in an identically deposited film, it is increased by a factor of up to approximately four times following hydrogen passivation. The incorporation of hydrogen causes a redshift in the PL peak position, suggesting a partial hydrogenation induced bond distortion of the Si-ncls. This redshift decreases with increasing hydrogen ambient annealing temperature.
- OSTI ID:
- 20778789
- Journal Information:
- Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 88, Issue 10; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.2183813; (c) 2006 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0003-6951
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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