The effect of deuterium on the optical properties of free-standing porous silicon layers

We report our recent results of the effect of deuterium termination on the optical properties of porous Si nanostructures. The photoluminescence (PL) spectrum of deuterium-terminated porous Si (D-PS) was different from that o f ordinary hydroen-terminated porous Si (H-PS) although H-PS and D-PS show the same structure and the same absorption spectrum. We quantitatively disc uss these results based on the trapping of conduction electrons at a surfac e Si-H or Si-D. Ln addition to these basic results, we also show that the r eplacement of hydrogen with deuterium reduces the PL degradation. Surface t ermination, especially photo-induced oxidation of the surface, was precisel y studied hv Fourier transform infrared absorption measurements.