The technologically interesting blue emission from porous silicon has
been studied using time-resolved photoluminescence. In as-etched sampl
es prepared using the standard electrochemical method, the decay time
is shown to be extremely fast (tau=0.86 ns). This decay time remains u
nchanged from room temperature dawn to 77 K. The porous material givin
g the blue emission is unstable and degrades rapidly under UV photoexc
itation. A corresponding increase in red intensity with decreasing blu
e intensity is observed, demonstrating a correlation between the two t
ypes of emission. Under ambient light conditions at room temperature t
he material is more stable and remains emissive for a number of days.
(C) 1994 American Institute of physics.