Photoluminescent properties of porous carbon films pyrolised on silicon

Porous carbon (PC) films with strong photoluminescence were prepared by the pyrolysis of semi-crystals of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVOH) deposited either on c-Si or on porous silicon (PS) substrates. Analysis of the PC Films by m icro-Raman spectroscopy was undertaken simultaneously with micro-photolumin escence spectroscopy to enable correlation of the characteristics of the lu minescence spectra with the probable emission structures. The results sugge st that the strong luminescence observed in these PC films originates from hydrogenated structures, and from the OH bonds present in the crystalline p hases of the PVOH. Morphological data obtained using scanning electron micr oscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) are also discussed.