Spectral probing of carrier traps in Si–Ge alloy nanocrystals

Photogenerated carriers in Si–Ge alloy nanocrystals (NCs) prepared by co‐sputtering method were investigated by mean of transient induced absorption. The carrier relaxation features multiple components, with three decay life times of τ ≈ 600 fs, 12 ps, and 15 ns, established for Si_0.2Ge_0.8 alloy NCs of a mean crystal size of 9 nm and standard deviation of 3 nm. Deep carrier traps, identified at the boundary between the NCs and the SiO₂ host with the ionization energy of about 1 eV, are characterized by a long‐range Coulombic potential. These are responsible for rapid depletion of free carrier population within a few picoseconds after the excitation, which explains the low emissivity of the investigated materials, and also sheds light on the generally low luminescence of Si/Ge and Ge NCs. (© 2016 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH &Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Direct bandgap optical transitions in Si nanocrystals

JETP Letters - The effect of quantum confinement on the direct bandgap of spherical Si nanocrystals has been modelled theoretically. We conclude that the energy of the direct bandgap at the...     

Donor-state-enabling Er-related luminescence in silicon: direct identification and resonant excitation

We conclusively establish a direct link between formation of an Er-related donor gap state and the 1.5 microm emission of Er in Si. The experiment is performed on Si/Si:Er nanolayers where a single type of Er optical center dominates. We show that the Er emission can be resonantly induced by direct pumping into the bound exciton state of the identified donor. Using two-color spectroscopy with a free-electron laser we determine the ionization energy of the donor-state-enabling Er excitation as E(D) approximately 218 meV. We demonstrate quenching of the Er-related emission upon ionization of the donor.     

Erbium photoluminescence excitation spectroscopy in Si: Er epitaxial structures

Excitation spectra of erbium photoluminescence in Si: Er epitaxial structures are studied within a broad pump wavelength range (λ_ex = 780–1500 nm). All the structures studied reveal a fairly strong erbium photoluminescence signal at photon energies substantially smaller than the silicon band-gap width (λ = 1060 nm) with no exciton generation. A possible mechanism of erbium ion excitation in silicon without exciton involvement is discussed.     

Nanosecond dynamics of the near-infrared photoluminescence of Er-doped SiO2 sensitized with Si nanocrystals

We report on an observation of a fast 1.5 microm photoluminescence band from Er3+ ions embedded in an SiO2 matrix doped with Si nanocrystals, which appears and decays within the first microsecond after the laser excitation pulse. We argue that the fast excitation and quenching are facilitated by Auger processes related to transitions of confined electrons or holes between the space-quantized levels of Si nanocrystals dispersed in SiO2. We show that a great part--about 50%--of all Er dopants is involved in these fast processes and contributes to the submicrosecond emission.