Publications Details
Final report on LDRD Project: Quantum confinement and light emission in silicon nanostructures
Electrochemically formed porous silicon (PS) was reported in 1991 to exhibit visible photoluminescence. This discovery could lead to the use of integrated silicon-based optoelectronic devices. This LDRD addressed two general goals for optical emission from Si: (1) investigate the mechanisms responsible for light emission, and (2) tailor the microstructure and composition of the Si to obtain photoemission suitable for working devices. PS formation, composition, morphology, and microstructure have been under investigation at Sandia for the past ten years for applications in silicon-on-insulator microelectronics, micromachining, and chemical sensors. The authors used this expertise to form luminescent PS at a variety of wavelengths and have used analytical techniques such as in situ Raman and X-ray reflectivity to investigate the luminescence mechanism and quantify the properties of the porous silicon layer. Further, their experience with ion implantation in Si lead to an investigation into alternate methods of producing Si nanostructures that visibly luminesce.