Synthesis of light-emitting silicon nanoparticles by intense pulsed ion-beam esvaporation

Synthesis of photoluminescent Si nanoparticles has been successfully prepared using an intense pulsed ion-beam evaporation (IBE) technique in vacuum. Si nanoparticles are produced by the IBE method without any post-annealings. Photoluminescence (PL) mainly in blue range with a peak of 455 nm and a shoulder near 510 nm is observed in as-deposited Si nanoparticles at room temperature. The blue light emission is relatively stable with no noticeable change, as the samples have already stored in air more than 4 months. The observed PL does not fit the quantum confinement model, since a majority of particle size is around similar to 20 nm, estimated by SEM and XRD measurements. Moreover, hydrofluoric acid (HF) corrosion tests on the Si nanoparticles also indicate a correlation between the presence of the surface oxide layers and the PL. Oxide-related luminescence is likely the source of this blue light emission.