Light Emitting Devices Based On Silicon Nanocrystals

  • A. Irrera
  • D. Pacifici
  • M. Miritello
  • G. Franzò
  • F. Priolo
  • F. Iacona
  • P. G. Fallica
  • G. Di Stefano
  • D. Sanfilippo
Chapter
Part of the NATO Science Series book series (NAII, volume 93)

Abstract

Silicon has for a long time been considered unsuitable for optoelectronic applications. Due to the indirect nature of its energy band gap, bulk silicon is indeed a highly inefficient light source. Many efforts have been devoted towards the development of Si-based materials able to act as light emitters [1]. Quantum confinement in Si nanostructures, including porous Si [2], Si nanocrystals (nc) embedded in SiO2 [3], and Si/SiO2 su- perlattices [12], and rare earth doping of silicon have dominated the scientific scenario of silicon-based microphotonics. In particular, Si nc embedded in SiO2 have attracted a great attention, due to their high stability and to their full compatibility with Si technology. Si nc are characterized by an energy band gap which is enlarged with respect to bulk Si, and exhibit an intense and tunable room temperature photoluminescence (PL) in the visible-near IR range [15]. Si nc embedded in SiO2 are produced with several different techniques, such as ion implantation [4], chemical vapor deposition [11], sputtering and laser ablation [16]. Recently, the interest towards this material is greatly increased due to the first observation of light amplification in Si nanostructures [18].

Keywords

Excitation Cross Section Radiative Rate Silicon Nanocrystals Radiative Decay Rate SiOx Layer 
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
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Copyright information

© Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2003

Authors and Affiliations

  • A. Irrera
    • 1
  • D. Pacifici
    • 1
  • M. Miritello
    • 1
  • G. Franzò
    • 1
  • F. Priolo
    • 1
  • F. Iacona
    • 2
  • P. G. Fallica
    • 3
  • G. Di Stefano
    • 3
  • D. Sanfilippo
    • 3
  1. 1.INFM and Dipartimento di Fisica e AstronomiaUniversità di CataniaCataniaItaly
  2. 2.CNR-IMM, Sezione di CataniaCataniaItaly
  3. 3.STMicroelectronicsCataniaItaly

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