STABILITY OF VISIBLE LUMINESCENCE FROM POROUS SILICON

The stability of the luminescence from porous Si has been improved by rapid thermal oxidation. As-prepared and oxidized samples have been co mpared by cathodoluminescence and photoluminescence. Electron beam exc itation resulted in rapid decay of the porous Si emission from as-prep ared samples. Photoluminescence measurements from as-prepared samples in oxygen showed a similar degradation. In contrast, the rapid thermal oxidized samples showed a dramatic improvement in stability under eit her electron beam or photoexcitation.