Photoluminescence from Si nanocrystals exposed to a hydrogen plasma

Abstract

Si nanocrystals embedded in SiO₂films were exposed to an atomic H plasma at different temperatures. Photoluminescence intensity from the nanocrystals increases with increasing exposure time, followed by saturation that depends on the exposure temperature. The saturation level depends on the final exposure temperature and shows no dependence on the thermal history of exposure. This behavior is shown to be consistent with a model in which the steady-state passivation level is determined by a balance between defect passivation and depassivation by H, with the activation energy for the passivationreaction being larger than that for the depassivation reaction. Show more