Light emission from Si nanoclusters formed at low temperatures

Journal Article · Mon Mar 06 04:00:00 EST 2006 · Applied Physics Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2183813· OSTI ID:20778789

Pi, X D; Zalloum, O H.Y.; Roschuk, T; Wojcik, J; Knights, A P; Mascher, P; Simpson, P J ^[1]

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1. 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, Journal Name: Applied Physics Letters Journal Issue: 10 Vol. 88; ISSN APPLAB; ISSN 0003-6951
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
ANNEALING
CHEMICAL VAPOR DEPOSITION
CRYSTAL GROWTH
ELECTRON CYCLOTRON-RESONANCE
HYDROGEN
NANOSTRUCTURES
NUCLEATION
PASSIVATION
PHOTOLUMINESCENCE
PLASMA
RED SHIFT
SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS
SILICON
TEMPERATURE RANGE 0400-1000 K
THIN FILMS
VISIBLE RADIATION