This article is cited in 16 papers

Amorphous, glassy, porous, organic, microcrystalline semiconductors, semiconductor composites

Visible photoluminescence of selectively etched porous $nc$-Si-SiO$_x$ structures

I. Z. Indutnii, E. V. Michailovska, P. E. Shepeliavyi, V. A. Dan'ko

Institute of Semiconductor Physics NAS, Kiev

Abstract: The results of the first studies of the effect of selective etching on photoluminescence in porous $nc$-Si-SiO$_x$ structures containing Si nanoclusters ($nc$-Si) in the SiO$_x$ matrix are reported. In the initial samples at room temperature, intense photoluminescence bands are observed with peaks at 840 and 660 nm corresponding to radiative recombination of free charge carriers (or charge carriers bound to excitons) excited in $nc$-Si. After selective etching of the $nc$-Si-SiO$_x$ structures in 1% HF solution, these bands are noticeably shifted to higher energies of the spectrum. It is suggested that the evolution of the spectra is due to the decrease in the Si nanoparticle dimensions on etching of the oxide and additional oxidation of $nc$-Si. The results show that selective etching of the oxide matrix can be used to control the radiation spectra of porous $nc$-Si-SiO$_x$ structures.

Received: 03.06.2009
Accepted: 24.06.2009

 English version: Semiconductors, 2010, 44:2, 206–210

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