Photoluminescence studies from silicon nanocrystals embedded in spin on glass thin films

Photoluminescence (PL) from silicon nanocrystals (Si-nc) prepared from pulverised porous silicon and embedded in undoped (SOG) or phosphorus-doped spin-on-glass (SOD) solutions was studied. Effects of rapid thermal annealing on the PL was also investigated. A strong room temperature PL signal was observed at 710 nm due to the recombination. of electron-hole pairs in Si-nc and the PL maximum shifts to the blue region as the phosphorus concentration in the spin on glass increases. However, the rapid thermal annealing process (30 s, 900degreesC) quenches the PL response. These results suggest that for Si-nc/SOG (SOD) the surface termination is efficient but high phosphorus doping of Si-nc is detrimental to the PL. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.