The Influence of Structural Ordering on Luminescence from Nitride- and Oxynitride-Passivated Silicon Nanoclusters

Luminescent silicon nanoclusters have been formed in silicon-rich silicon nitride and silicon-rich silicon oxynitride films grown using inductively coupled plasma chemical vapour deposition. The luminescent properties and electronic structure of the films have been investigated through ultraviolet-excited photoluminescence and synchrotron-based X-ray absorption spectroscopy experiments at the Si K- and L3,2-edges, respectively. In the silicon-rich silicon nitride films, luminescence in the visible was observed from quantum confinement effects and inter-bandgap defect levels while X-ray absorption spectroscopy indicates a structural reordering of the silicon nanoclusters and nitride host matrix with increased silicon nanocluster phase separation, occurring at lower annealing temperatures in more silicon-rich films. Luminescence from the silicon-rich silicon oxynitride films appeared to be defect-related and only the silicon oxide and nitride host matrices exhibited structural reordering when annealed, while there was no change in the structure of the silicon nanoclusters.

The Influence of Structural Ordering on Luminescence from Nitride- and Oxynitride-Passivated Silicon Nanoclusters Conferences