Characteristic photoluminescence band in Si-implanted SiO2 grown on Si wafer

A possible mechanism for the photoemission from Si nanocrystals in an amorphous SiO₂ matrix fabricated by ion implantation is reported. We have measured the implantation dose dependence as well as the oxidation effect of the photoluminescence behavior of Si nanocrystals in SiO₂ layers fabricated by ion implantation and a subsequent annealing step. After annealing, a photoluminescence band, peaking just below the 1.7 eV was observed. The peak energy of the photoluminescence was found to be affected by the dose of implanted Si ions, but to be independent of annealing time and excitation photon energy. We also present experimental results of an oxidation induced continuous peak energy shift of the photoluminescence peak, up to around 1.8 eV. This peak energy, however, was found to return to its previous position with re-annealing. These results indicate that, whilst the excitation photons are absorbed by Si nanocrystals, the emission is not simply due to electron–hole recombination inside the Si nanocrystals, but is related to the presence of defects, most likely located at the interface between the Si nanocrystals and the SiO₂, for which the characteristic energy levels are affected by cluster–cluster interactions or the roughness of the interface.