Effect of different preparation conditions on light emission from silicon implanted SiO2 layers

Visible light emission from Si+-implanted SiO2 layers as a function of different annealing conditions (temperature, time and ambient) is studied. It is shown that a 560 nm band, present in as implanted samples, increases its intensity for increasing annealing temperatures and is still observed after annealing at 1000 degrees C. The emission time is fast (0.5-2 ns). A second band centered at 780 nm is detected after annealing at 1000 degrees C. The intensity of the 780 nm band further increases when hydrogen annealing was performed. The emission time is long (1 mu s-0.3 ms). Based on the annealing behavior and on the emission times, the origin of the two bands is discussed. (C) 1996 American Institute of Physics.