CARRIER TRANSPORT IN THIN-FILMS OF SILICON NANOPARTICLES

The electrical and electroluminescence characteristics of heterostruct ure systems. containing thin films of visibly emitting silicon nanopar ticles are shown to be controlled by carrier transport through the nan oparticulate films. A conduction mechanism encompassing both geometric and electronic effects most effectively relates the high resistivity with structural properties of the films. Heterostructure devices are c onstructed with silicon nanoparticle active layers produced by pulsed laser ablation supersonic expansion. The observed temperature-dependen t photoluminescence, electroluminescence, and I-V characteristics of t he devices are consistent with a model in which carrier transport is c ontrolled by space-charge-limited currents or tunneling through potent ial barriers on a percolating lattice.