Article abstract
Nature Nanotechnology 3, 174 - 178 (2008)
Published online: 2 March 2008 | doi:10.1038/nnano.2008.7
Subject Categories: Nanomaterials | Photonic structures and devices
Classification and control of the origin of photoluminescence from Si nanocrystals
S. Godefroo1, M. Hayne1,2, M. Jivanescu3, A. Stesmans3, M. Zacharias4, O. I. Lebedev5, G. Van Tendeloo5 & V. V. Moshchalkov1
Abstract
Silicon dominates the electronics industry, but its poor optical properties mean that III–V compound semiconductors are preferred for photonics applications. Photoluminescence at visible wavelengths was observed from porous Si at room temperature in 1990, but the origin of these photons (do they arise from highly localized defect states or quantum confinement effects?) has been the subject of intense debate ever since. Attention has subsequently shifted from porous Si to Si nanocrystals, but the same fundamental question about the origin of the photoluminescence has remained. Here we show, based on measurements in high magnetic fields, that defects are the dominant source of light from Si nanocrystals. Moreover, we show that it is possible to control the origin of the photoluminescence in a single sample: passivation with hydrogen removes the defects, resulting in photoluminescence from quantum-confined states, but subsequent ultraviolet illumination reintroduces the defects, making them the origin of the light again.
- INPAC-Institute for Nanoscale Physics and Chemistry, Pulsed Field Group, K.U.Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200 D, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Physics, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YB, United Kingdom
- INPAC-Institute for Nanoscale Physics and Chemistry, Semiconductor Physics Laboratory, K.U.Leuven, elestijnenlaan 200 D, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium
- Institute of Microsystems Engineering, Albert Ludwigs University Freiburg, D-79110 Freiburg, Germany
- EMAT, University of Antwerp (RUCA), Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020 Antwerp, Belgium
Correspondence to: M. Hayne1,2 e-mail: m.hayne@lancaster.ac.uk
MORE ARTICLES LIKE THIS
These links to content published by NPG are automatically generated.
NEWS AND VIEWS
Photonic materials Teaching silicon new tricksNature Materials News and Views (01 Sep 2002)
Solar cells Slicing and dicing photonsNature Photonics News and Views (01 Feb 2008)
See all 3 matches for News And ViewsRESEARCH
Crystal structure of the CDK4/6 inhibitory protein p18 INK4c provides insights into ankyrin-like repeat structure/function and tumor-derived p16 INK4 mutationsNature Structural Biology Article (01 Jan 1998)
Optical gain in silicon nanocrystalsNature Article (23 Nov 2000)
See all 36 matches for Research
