Photodeterioration of the silicon nanocrystal emission

Journal Article · Wed Sep 15 04:00:00 EDT 2010 · Journal of Applied Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3475791· OSTI ID:21476439

Koshel, D; Barba, D; Martin, F; Ross, G G ^[1]

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1. INRS-EMT, 1650 blvd. Lionel-Boulet, Varennes, Quebec J3X 1S2 (Canada)

Photoluminescence (PL) of silicon nanocrystals (Si-nc) is investigated as a function of exposure time for several laser intensities. Both a strong decrease in luminescence and an energy shift are observed during the illumination period. Decay analysis of the PL emission intensity indicates two timescales: a short timescale (<0.5 min), associated with reversible sample heating effects and a longer timescale (>5 min), attributed to an irreversible sample damage caused by the laser excitation. Both sample heating and damage shift the PL emission toward the red. These longer timescale variations can significantly influence the precision of both PL and optical gain measurements performed at average pumping intensities as low as {approx}1 W cm{sup -2}. The complex evolution of the Si-nc spectra after a long recovery period indicates that the permanent degradation of the PL signal results from the activation of several sample damaging mechanisms, whose possible origins are discussed.

• OSTI ID: 21476439
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics, Journal Name: Journal of Applied Physics Journal Issue: 5 Vol. 108; ISSN JAPIAU; ISSN 0021-8979
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY
AMPLIFICATION
DAMAGE
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELEMENTS
EMISSION
EMISSION SPECTRA
ENERGY-LEVEL TRANSITIONS
EXCITATION
GAIN
HEATING
ILLUMINANCE
LASER RADIATION
LASERS
LUMINESCENCE
MATERIALS
NANOSTRUCTURES
OPTICAL PUMPING
PHOTOLUMINESCENCE
PHOTON EMISSION
PUMPING
RADIATIONS
SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS
SEMIMETALS
SILICON
SPECTRA