Visible electroluminescence from silicon nanoclusters embedded in chlorinated silicon nitride thin films

Visible electroluminescence (EL) has been obtained from devices with active layers of silicon nanocrystals embedded in chlorinated silicon nitride (Si-nc/SiN_x:Cl) thin films, deposited by remote plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition, using SiCl₄/NH₃/H₂/Ar. The active nc-Si/SiN_x:Cl film was sandwiched between Al contacts and a transparent conductive contact of ZnO_x:Al deposited by the pyrosol process. White EL centred at around 600 nm was observed, with a turn-on voltage of 5 V, and the intensity increasing as a function of voltage. Recombination between electron-hole pairs generated in the Si-nc by electron impact ionization is proposed as the EL mechanism.