Yuan, CaoChu, J. G.Lei, Wen2015-12-102015-12-100947-8396http://hdl.handle.net/1885/67896Ge nanocrystals embedded in SiO2 and Lu2O3 thin films were fabricated using a pulsed laser deposition method. Two dimensional finite element calculations and Raman spectra clearly revealed that the Ge nanocrystals certainly experienced greater compressive stress in a Lu2O3 thin film than in a SiO2 thin film. This may lead to much more stress-relaxing defects at the interface of Ge nanocrystals embedded in a Lu2O3 thin film and thus enhances the intensity of defect-related photoluminescence. The findings presented here indicate that the matrix environment of the nanocrystals plays a significant role in the defect-related photoluminescence property.Keywords: Finite element calculations; Ge nanocrystals; matrix; Photoluminescence properties; Pulsed laser; Raman spectra; Defects; Germanium; Nanocrystals; Photoluminescence; Pulsed laser deposition; Pulsed lasers; Raman spectroscopy; Silicon compounds; Thin films201010.1007/s00339-010-5588-12016-02-24