Tuning the cathodoluminescence of porous silicon films

A. Biaggi-Labiosa, L. F. Fonseca*, O. Resto, I. Balberg

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

7 Scopus citations

Abstract

We have obtained intense cathodoluminescence (CL) emission from electron beam modified porous silicon films by excitation with electrons with kinetic energies below 2 keV. Two types of CL emissions were observed, a stable one and a non-stable one. The first type is obtained in well-oxidized samples and is characterized by a spectral peak that is red shifted with respect to the photoluminescence (PL) peak. The physically interesting and technologically promising CL is however the CL that correlates closely with the PL. Tuning of this CL emission was achieved by controlling the average size of the nanostructure thus showing that the origin of this CL emission is associated with the quantum confinement and the surface chemistry effects that are known to exist in the porous silicon system. We also found that the electron bombardment causes microscale morphological modifications of the films, but the nanoscale features appear to be unchanged. The structural changes are manifested by the increase in the density of the nanoparticles which explains the significant enhancement of the PL that follows the electron irradiation.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)321-327
Number of pages7
JournalJournal of Luminescence
Volume128
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Mar 2008

Keywords

  • Cathodoluminescence
  • Nanocrystalline silicon
  • Porous silicon
  • Quantum confinement
  • Tuning cathodoluminescence

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Tuning the cathodoluminescence of porous silicon films'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this