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Optical properties of cerium-doped SiNx thin films containing silicon nanocrystals

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Abstract

In this work, we investigate the optical properties of silicon nitride doped with Cerium: Ce: SiN0.38 and Ce: SiN0.55 films produced by thermal evaporation deposition. Silicon nanocrystals (Si-Ncs) incorporated silicon rich-silicon nitride films (SiNx<1.33) were developed on Silicon substrate using Plasma Enhanced Chemical vapor technique (PECVD). The GIXRD and Raman analysis show the formation of Si-Ncs in two layers studied, SiN0.38 and SiN0.55 with the average size of 6 and 3 nm, respectively. The morphology, structure and chemical properties of annealed Ce doped SiNx were investigated by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), scanning- electron- microscopy (SEM) and elemental mapping, demonstrating that Ce was integrated into the SiNx layer. Si-Ncs size’s effect on the photoluminescence (PL) response after doping by evaporation is studied. Layers with the small Si-Ncs exhibited a strong increase in the PL intensity in the blue region. Energy transfer between the small Si-Ncs and the Ce is the probable source of enhanced PL emission. The layers with large Si-Ncs did not show any indication of a Ce ion interaction.

Highlight

Substoichiometric SiNx˂1.33 matrix was discovered by an Industrial LF-PECVD reactor.

Luminescent Si-Ncs of various size have been synthesized in the SiNx matrix.

A simple and repeatable technique is utilized to generate and incorporate rare earth ions (Cerium) into the silicon nitride matrix.

Energy transfer from Si nanocrystals to Ce occurs for small Si-Ncs.

This process can be introduced into the cell production line easily with low-cost.

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Data availability

All the chemicals data are available, the majority of the equipment used (LF.PECVD, Thermal evaporation, SEM, SIMS, PL) are available at CRTSE, Raman and XRD measurements were made at Advanced Technology Development Center (CDTA).

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the “National Fund for Scientific Research and Technological Development”, DGRSDT/MESRS, Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research. Algeria.

Funding

Funds National Research of DGRSDT/MESRS, Algeria.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre De Recherche En Technologie Des Semi-conducteurs Pour l’Énergétique, CRTSE, 02 Bd Dr. Frantz Fanon BP 140, les 07 merveilles, Algiers, 16038, Algeria

    F. Tiour, K. Bekhedda, B. Mahmoudi, H. Menari, A. Manseri, A. Brik, A. Mefoued, A. Chetoui & I. Menous

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  1. F. Tiour
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  2. K. Bekhedda
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  3. B. Mahmoudi
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  6. A. Brik
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  7. A. Mefoued
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  8. A. Chetoui
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  9. I. Menous
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Contributions

Faiza Tiour: Study on SiNx layers, Data analysis and paper writing. Kheira Bekhedda: Cerium evaporation and thermal annealing process. Brahim Mahmoudi: Raman spectroscopy and XRD measurements. Hamid Menari: Cerium evaporation and UV-Vis reflectance measurements. Amar Manseri: Morphological data. Afaf Brik: Silicon wafer chemical preparation. Amine Mefoued: Diffusion process. Abdelmounaim Chetoui: Optical data. Isa Menous: SIMS measurements.

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Correspondence to F. Tiour.

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Tiour, F., Bekhedda, K., Mahmoudi, B. et al. Optical properties of cerium-doped SiNx thin films containing silicon nanocrystals. Appl. Phys. A 130, 399 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-024-07550-3

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