4 MeV electron irradiation effect on electroluminesencence from Au/SiO2/p-Si and Au/Si-rich SiO2/p-Si structures

The effects of 3 MeV electron irradiation on electroluminescence (EL) from Au/SiO2/p-Si and Au/Si-rich SiO2/p-Si structures are reported. The SiO2 and Si-rich SiO2 films were deposited on p-Si wafers using the magnetron sputt ering technique and then processed by rapid thermal annealing (RTA) at a se ries of temperatures. The Au/SiO2/p-Si and Au/Si-rich SiO2/p-Si structures were irradiated by electrons with an energy of 4 Mev and a dose rate of 8.5 x 10(12) cm(-2) s(-1) EL intensities of the two structures as functions of the RTA temperature and electron irradiation time have been studied. For t he Au/SiO2/p-Si structure with SiO2/p-Si annealed at 900 degreesC, the EL i ntensity increased to a maximum in electron irradiation for 20 s, which is larger than that before irradiation by a factor of 3. These experimental re sults have been discussed. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserv ed.