The correlation between the Raman peak shift and the linewidth of porous silicon is studied. The experimental result does not fit with the relationship predicted by the phonon confinement model. By taking into account both the phonon confinement and the effect of strain, the calculated Raman line shape coincides fairly well with the measured spectrum. The built-in strain of porous silicon varies with the porosity of the sample and is on the order of 10−3.

An anodic sulfurized treatment of Gaks has been developed to passivate its surfaces preventing oxidation. The photoemission core level spectra show that the surface Ga and As atoms are bonded to S atoms to form a thick sulfurized layer. No oxygen uptakes on the sulfurized GaAs surface as illustrated by the high resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy. The results of photoluminescence spectra verify that the passivated surface has low surface recombination velocity and can protect the photoassisted oxidation under laser illumination.

The energy band gap of light-emitting porous silicon is determined by high-resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy, and the valence band edge of porous silicon with respect to its Fermi level is measured by ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy. By combining the results with that measured from clean Si, a picture of band lineup at the porous-silicon/p-Si heterointerface is proposed, in which 70% of the total band gap discontinuity occurs at the valence band edge.

A boiling water treatment of light emitting porous silicon can give rise to a large blue shift of its photoluminescence spectrum and meanwhile strengthen the skeleton of porous Si by filling up many pores with aqueous oxide. A stable blue-green light emission at the peak wavelength down to 500 nm is achieved. FTIR measurements show that the formation of Si dihydride on the sidewall surfaces of the Si rods is not responsible to the visible luminescence for the very thin Si wires.

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