Silicon-based light emission after ion implantation

Photoluminescence and electroluminescence of boron and phosphorus implanted silicon have been studied as a function of temperature. Phosphorus implantation is found to have a similar effect on light emission as boron implantation. An increase of the band-to-band luminescence intensity by one order of magnitude is observed upon rising the temperature from 80 K to 300 K. Defect luminescence arising from the implanted layer is found only at low temperatures. The remarkable band-to-band luminescence is attributed to a high Shockley-Read-Hall lifetime caused by the gettering action of implantation defects.