Light emission from porous silicon single and multiple cavities

Experimental and theoretical techniques are used to examine the effects of microstructuring on the optical properties of multilayer, single and multip le microcavity structures fabricated from porous silicon. Measurements of t he reflectivity and photoluminescence spectra of three multilayer samples a re presented. The results are modelled using a transfer matrix technique in cluding a negative absorption term to represent the effect of spontaneous e mission which gives luminescence. The emitted light is strongly controlled by the optical modes of the structures and very good agreement is observed between theory and experiment. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights re served.