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Investigation of silicon nanoclusters embedded in ZnO matrices deposited by cosputtering system

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Abstract

A co-sputtering system was used to deposit silicon nanoclusters embedded in zinc oxide matrix (Si:ZnO) at low temperature without post-annealing. By adjusting the radio frequency power of the Si target during co-sputtering, Si:ZnO films with various crystallographic structures can be obtained. Silicon nanoclusters embedded in the zinc oxide matrix were examined using a high-resolution transmission electron microscope, x-ray diffractometer, and Fourier transformation infrared spectrometry. By comparing with photoluminescence spectra, we can clearly identify quantum confinement effect of silicon nanoclusters embedded in the ZnO matrix.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Industrial Technology Research Institute, Micro/Nano Science and Technology of the National Cheng Kung University and the National Science Council of Taiwan, Republic of China.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Microelectronics, Department of Electrical Engineering and Center for Micro/Nano Science and Technology, National Cheng Kung University, 701, Tainan, Taiwan, Republic of China

    Li-Wen Lai, Ching-Ting Lee & Li-Ren Lou

  2. Institute of Electro-Optical Science and Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, 701, Tainan, Taiwan, Republic of China

    Chih-Hong Liu

  3. Optoelectronics Semiconductor and System Application Div., Industrial Technology Research Institute, 310, Hsin Chu, Taiwan, Republic of China

    Wen-Yung Yeh & Mu-Tao Chu

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  1. Li-Wen Lai
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  2. Chih-Hong Liu
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Correspondence to Ching-Ting Lee.

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Lai, LW., Liu, CH., Lee, CT. et al. Investigation of silicon nanoclusters embedded in ZnO matrices deposited by cosputtering system. Journal of Materials Research 23, 2506–2511 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1557/jmr.2008.0309

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