OPTICAL-PROPERTIES OF SI-SI1-XGEX AND SI-GE NANOSTRUCTURES

This paper reviews the current research status on the optical properti es of Si-Si1-xGex and Si-Ge nanostructures. Although this is a relativ ely new field, existing research has already achieved promising result s in terms of both physics and possible device applications including the effect of process-induced strain in nanostructures, quantum confin ement and improved optical efficiency of collective excitation in wire s with reduced dimension, and especially the huge improvement of optic al efficiency in quantum dots after nanofabrication. These results pot entially open a new field of research into both the physics of Si-Si1- xGex nanostructures and the possible applications of them in cheap Si based optoelectronic industry.