Multipeak-structured photoluminescence mechanisms of as-prepared and oxidized Si nanoporous pillar arrays

Silicon dominates the electronic industry, but its poor optical properties mean that it is not preferred for photonic applications. Visible photoluminescence (PL) was observed from porous Si at room temperature in 1990, but the origin of these light emissions is still not fully understood. This paper reports that an Si nanocrystal, silicon nanoporous pillar array (Si-NPA) with strong visible PL has been prepared on a Si wafer substrate by the hydrothermal etching method. After annealing in O₂ atmosphere, the hydride coverage of the Si pillar internal surface is replaced by an oxide layer, which comprises of a great quantity of Si nanocrystal (nc-Si) particles and each of them are encapsulated by an Si oxide layer. Meanwhile a transition from efficient triple-peak PL bands from blue to red before annealing to strong double-peak blue PL bands after annealing is observed. Comparison of the structural, absorption and luminescence characteristics of the as-prepared and oxidized samples provides evidence for two competitive transition processes, the band-to-band recombination of the quantum confinement effect of nc-Si and the radiative recombination of excitons from the luminescent centres located at the surface of nc-Si units or in the Si oxide layers that cover the nc-Si units because of the different oxidation degrees. The sizes of nc-Si and the quality of the Si oxide surface are two major factors affecting two competitive processes. The smaller the size of nc-Si is and the stronger the oxidation degree of Si oxide layer is, the more beneficial for the luminescent centre recombination process to surpass the quantum confinement process is. The clarification on the origin of the photons may be important for the Si nanoporous pillar array to control both the PL band positions and the relative intensities according to future device requirements and further fabrication of optoelectronic nanodevices.     

单室沉积非晶硅/非晶硅/微晶硅三叠层太阳电池的研究

在产业化比较成熟的单室沉积非晶硅薄膜太阳电池基础上,进行了非晶硅/非晶硅/微晶硅三叠层太阳电池性能优化的研究.在生产线上纯单室沉积的非晶硅/非晶硅叠层太阳电池基础上,通过调节n-p隧穿结并采用自行研制开发的单室微晶硅底电池的沉积路线,获得了单室沉积的光电转换效率达到9.52%的非晶硅/非晶硅/微晶硅三叠层太阳电池. 关键词： 硅基薄膜太阳电池 三叠层 微晶硅     

Photoluminescence analyses of hydrogenated amorphous silicon nitride thin films

Silicon-rich hydrogenated amorphous silicon nitride (a-SiN_x:H) films were grown by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) with different r=NH₃/SiH₄ gas flow ratios. The optical absorption characteristics were analyzed by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and UV-visible transmittance spectroscopies. The recombination properties were investigated via photoluminescence (PL) measurements. As r was increased from 2 to 9, the PL emission color could be adjusted from red to blue with the emission intensity high enough to be perceived by naked eye at room temperature. The behaviors of the PL peak energy and the PL band broadness with respect to the optical constants were discussed in the frame of electron-phonon coupling and band tail recombination models. A semiquantitative analysis supported the band tail recombination model, where the recombination was found to be favored when the carriers thermalize to an energy level at which the band tail density of states (DOS) reduces to some fraction of the relevant band edge DOS. For the PL efficiency comparison of the samples with different nitrogen contents, the PL intensity was corrected for the absorbed intensity fraction of the incident PL excitation source. The resulted correlation between the PL efficiency and the subgap absorption tail width further supported the band tail recombination model.     

Electroluminescence from a current-emitting nanostructured silicon device

A three-dimensional silicon based nanodevice mainly consisting of two conductive silicon cantilevers was fabricated out of silicon-on-insulator material by electron beam lithography, reactive ion etching, and fluoride based wet chemical etching. One of the cantilevers is bent and sticks to the silicon substrate while the other one is freely suspended. We observed electroluminescence in the visible range when a voltage of any polarity is dropped across both levers. The measured spectra covered the range 400–950 nm peaking at about 650 nm. The current applied to the device could tune the intensity of the electroluminescence spectrum. Light powers ranging from 160 fW to some pW were measured at frequencies up to 17 kHz. The origin of the electroluminescence is discussed in comparison to porous silicon and spark-processed silicon.     

纳米粒子与单晶硅表面碰撞的反弹机理研究

应用分子动力学方法模拟了纳米粒子与单晶硅(001)表面碰撞、反弹飞离的现象，分析了粒子的反弹行为、基体弹性形变和塑性形变的原子构型特征，以及碰撞过程的能量转化.碰撞后单晶硅表面形成半球形的小坑，小坑周围的基体原子呈非晶态.碰撞过程中与颗粒相邻的基体原子立即非晶化，在非晶层外面基体以可恢复的(111)［110］滑移结构存储弹性形变能.在射入过程，基体发生压缩弹性形变；颗粒反弹时基体势能振荡下降,交替形成压缩形变构型和拉伸形变构型.射入过程中存贮的压缩弹性形变能的释放为颗粒提供了反弹、飞离的能量. 关键词： 碰撞 纳米粒子 单晶硅表面 分子动力学模拟     

非晶/微晶相变域硅薄膜及其太阳能电池

采用甚高频等离子体增强化学气相沉积（VHF-PECVD）法，成功制备出从非晶到微晶过渡区 域的硅薄膜. 样品的微结构、光电特性及光致变化的测量结果表明这些处于相变域的硅薄膜 兼具非晶硅优良的光电性质和微晶硅的稳定性. 用这种两相结构的材料作为本征层制备了p- i-n太阳能电池，并测量了其稳定性. 结果在AM15(100mW/cm²) 的光强下曝光 800—5000min后，开路电压略有升高，转换效率仅衰退了29%. 关键词： 相变域硅薄膜 光电特性 太阳能电池     

非晶/微晶两相硅薄膜电池的计算机模拟

在对不同晶相比硅薄膜的实验研究的基础上，利用有效介质理论估算了这种两相材料的光吸 收系数、迁移率寿命乘积及带隙宽度等参量，计算机模拟了不同结晶比硅薄膜电池的伏安特 性及光谱响应；结果为随着本征层微晶成分的增多，电池的开路电压逐渐减小，短路电流逐 渐增大，本征层的最佳厚度逐渐增大，填充因子有降低的趋势，电池的效率随晶相比的增大 而减小. 电池的光谱响应曲线表明，随晶相比的增大电池的长波响应明显提高. 根据这些模 拟结果，分析讨论了在考虑Lambertian背反射的情况下，非晶/微晶叠层电池的底电池采用 晶相比为40％—50％的两相硅薄膜材料做本征层是最佳选择. 关键词： 两相硅薄膜 太阳能电池 计算机模拟     

Self-organized amorphous material in silicon (0 0 1) by focused ion beam (FIB) system

A method using a focused ion beam (FIB) to prepare a silicon amorphous material is presented. The method involves the redeposition of sputtered material generated during the interaction of the Ga⁺ ion beam with a silicon substrate material. The shape and dimensions of this amorphous material are self-organized and reproducible. The stability of this amorphous material under electron irradiation was investigated in the transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Electron irradiation can induce recrystallization of the amorphous material, resulting in the lateral and vertical growth, starting at an amorphous-crystalline interface, of polysilicon containing defects.     

Quantized field-electron emission at 300 K in self-assembled arrays of silicon nanowires

Dense ensembles of silicon nanowires were prepared by metal-catalyzed chemical vapor deposition on silicon substrates. Some of these ensembles were doped with phosphorous during growth. The nanowires were characterized using scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and mass spectroscopy. Field emission of electrons from these structures was studied at room temperatures in ultra-high vacuum. The measurements were carried out using a parallel-plate diode cell. At high-applied fields, the current–voltage characteristics deviate from the Fowler–Nordheim law and exhibit a step-wise increase in the current with the increasing voltage at 300 K. Possible mechanisms of the observed quantized field emission are discussed.     

Influence of experimental parameters on physical properties of porous silicon and oxidized porous silicon layers

This paper reports physical properties of porous silicon and oxidized porous silicon, manufactured by anodisation from heavily p-type doped silicon wafers as a function of experimental parameters. The growth rate and refractive index of the layers were studied at different applied current densities and glycerol concentrations in electrolyte. When the current density varied from 5 to 100 mA/cm², the refractive index was between 1.2 and 2.4 which corresponded to a porosity range from 42 to 85%. After oxidation, the porosity decreased and was between 2 and 45% for a refractive index range from 1.22 to 1.46. The thermal processing also induced an increase in thickness which was dependent on the initial porosity. This increase in thickness was more important for the lowest porosities. Lastly, the roughness of the porous layer/silicon substrate interface was studied at different applied current densities and glycerol concentrations in solution. Roughness decreased when the current density or glycerol concentration increased. Moreover, roughness was also reduced by thermal oxidation.