Synchronized swinging of electroluminescence intensity and peak wavelengthwith Si layer thickness in Au/SiO2/nanometer Si/SiO2/p-Si structures

SiO2/nanometer amorphous Si/SiO2 structures with Si layers of twelve differ ent thicknesses in a range of 0-3.0 nm have been deposited with the two-tar get alternative magnetron sputtering technique. Electroluminescence (EL) fr om the Au/SiO2/nanometer amorphous Si/SiO2/p-Si structures has been observe d. It is found that the EL peak intensity and peak wavelength synchronously swing with increasing Si layer thickness. The experimental results strongl y indicate that the EL originates from luminescence centers in SiO2 layers rather than from the Si layers in the structures. The tunneling of electron s and holes and the quantum confinement effect for them in the nanometer Si layers play important roles in the EL. (C) 1999 American Institute of Phys ics. [S0003-6951(99)04315-6].