Photoluminescence of nanocrystalline silicon formed by rare-gas ion implantation

A new method is suggested for fabricating nanocrystalline silicon by using high-dose (D > D-a) irradiation with rare-gas ions. In this case, a nanostructure is formed due to silicon self-assembling on the interface between amorphous layer and crystalline substrate. Two bands, at 720 and 930 nm, are found in the photoluminescence spectrum. These bands possibly originate from the quantum confinement effects in nanocrystals and may also be related to the regions of disordered silicon outside the amorphous layer containing nanocrystals. The intensity of the photoluminescence signal is studied as a function of duration of HF etching of samples and their subsequent exposure to atmosphere. The influence of thermal annealing on the photoluminescence spectrum is also studied. (C) 2005 Pleiades Publishing, Inc.