SIOX LUMINESCENCE FROM LIGHT-EMITTING POROUS SILICON - SUPPORT FOR THE QUANTUM CONFINEMENT LUMINESCENCE CENTER MODEL

Measurements of hydrogen loss and luminescence as a function of anneal ing temperature in porous silicon suggest that luminescence is attribu table to electron-hole recombination in SiOx surface layers with an in tensity that is dependent upon the surface hydrogen content. The lumin escence is composed of three Gaussian bands similar to those found in amorphous SiO2. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy show porous silicon has SiOx on the surface, which is comp rised of many particles of about 10 nm size. Collectively, the data st rongly support the previously proposed quantum confinement/luminescenc e center model. (C) 1996 American Institute of Physics.