ISSN:
1089-7550
Source:
AIP Digital Archive
Topics:
Physics
Notes:
Radiative and compositional properties of spark-processed silicon are studied by photoluminescence and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements. Spark processing of silicon is performed in different atmospheres composed of nitrogen and oxygen. As a result of the process, room-temperature radiative transitions occur at 2.35 eV and vary in intensity over five orders of magnitude depending on the N2/O2 ratio. After processing in pure nitrogen or pure oxygen, however, the green photoluminescence (PL) is wiped out and weak blue (2.7 eV) or orange (1.9 eV) PL bands, respectively, are discernable. The temperature-dependent features of the 2.35 eV emission are characterized by an intensity increase in conjunction with a red shift of the peak position at lowered temperatures. A cross-sectional study reveals that the green PL is mainly generated in a near-surface layer having a chemical composition close to SiO2 and a nitrogen concentration below 1 at. %. Nearly no PL was observed from a deeper SiO2 layer enriched by silicon clusters and with an increased density of nitrogen (up to 7 at. %). The findings do not support a quantum-dot-related PL mechanism in spark-processed silicon. It is proposed that nitrogen additions reduce the density of nonradiative centers introduced by silicon dangling bonds. © 1996 American Institute of Physics.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.363470
