PHOTOLUMINESCENCE FROM THIN POROUS FILMS OF SILICON-CARBIDE

Luminescent porous films were obtained from amorphous epitaxial SiC th in films (200-600 nm) deposited on Si substrates using an electrochemi cal anodization in HF/ethylene glycol solution at high anodic voltages , Porous SiC films possess nearly the same chemical composition as a-S iC ones with slight depletion in carbon. Their photoluminescence peaks at 810 nm and achieves maximum intensity at 150-200K. The luminescenc e mechanism is thought to be due to Si nanoparticles crystallized in t he SiC matrix during the anodization process. (C) 1997 Elsevier Scienc e S.A.