Passivation effect and photoluminescence decay lifetime of Si nanocrystals produced by hot implantation

Abstract: Si nanocrystals (Si NCs) produced by hot implantation present two photoluminescence (PL) bands (at 780 and 1000nm, respectively) when measured at low pump power (∼20mW/cm2). Since each PL band was shown to have different origin we have investigated the passivation effect on them, as well as their PL decay lifetime. PL and time resolved PL measurements have demonstrated that both PL bands present different behavior after the passivation process. We have found that only the 1000nm PL band is strongly influenced by the passivation process in its intensity as well as in its decay lifetime. In addition we have studied samples implanted at 600°C annealed at 1150°C for different time intervals and further passivated. The results show that the passivation effect on the 1000nm PL band is strongly dependent on the preannealing time. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]