Synthesis of silicon nanocrystals in silicon-rich SiO2 by rapid CO2 laser annealing

Localized synthesis of 4.2-5.6 nm Si nanocrystals (nc-Si) in plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition-grown Si-rich SiOx (x = 1.25) (SRSO) layer is demonstrated using a CO2 laser annealing at intensity of 6.0 kW/cm(2). At an optimized surface temperature of 1285 C, the precipitated nc-Si in annealed SRSO results in near-infrared photoluminescence at 806 nm. The refractive index of the laser-annealed SRSO at 633 nm increases from 1.57 to 2.31 as the laser intensity increases from 1.5 to 6.0 kW/cm(2). Transmission electron microscopy analysis reveals that the average size and volume density of nc-Si embedded in the SRSO layer are about 5.2 nm and 1.08 x 10(18) cm(-3). (c) 2005 The Electrochemical Society.