Si/SiO 2 superlattices on oxidized silicon wafers were fabricated by successive cycles of silicon deposition and high-temperature thermal oxidation. Silicon films were deposited by low-pressure chemical vapor deposition at 580 °C. As-deposited silicon was amorphous, and it exhibited two weak photoluminescence (PL) peaks in the visible range, a stable one at ≅650 nm and an unstable one at 530–550 nm. By oxidation at 900 °C, a drastic increase of the stable PL peak was observed with an initial redshift from 650 to 800–900 nm and a subsequent blueshift down to 680–700 nm. Its position and intensity depended on the oxidation time. For prolonged oxidation, PL disappeared. The observed PL is attributed to silicon crystallites passivated by oxygen. Localized states at the Si/SiO2 interface limit the emitted wavelength. The PL peak from superlattices was at the same position as from one bilayer, while a superlinear increase in PL intensity was observed by increasing the number of bilayers.

Room- and low-temperature electroluminescence (EL) in the visible range was observed from a single layer of silicon nanocrystals in between two thin SiO2 layers. The EL peak wavelength exhibited tunability from the red (∼800 nm) to the yellow (∼600 nm) depending on the excitation voltage. By decreasing the temperature while keeping the excitation voltage constant, an increase in EL intensity was observed together with a blueshift in EL peak position. This blueshift was much larger than that observed under optical excitation. Nonradiative Auger recombination, Coulomb charging effects, and/or the quantum-confined Stark effect are considered accountable for this behavior.

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In this work, a novel Ag nanoparticle self-assembly process based on plasma-induced two-dimensional Ostwald ripening is demonstrated. Ag nanoparticles are deposited on p-doped Si substrates using a DC magnetron sputtering process. With the assistance of O(2)/Ar plasma treatment, different sizes and patterns of Ag nanoparticles are formed, due to the Ostwald ripening. The evolution of plasma-induced nanoparticle ripening is studied and a clear increase in particle size and a decrease in particle density are observed with increasing plasma treatment. From the experiments, it is concluded that the initial nanoparticle density and the plasma gas mixture (Ar/O(2) ratio) are important factors that affect the ripening process. The proposed plasma-directed Ag nanoparticle self-assembly provides a rapid method of tailoring the nanoparticle distribution on substrates, with potential applications in the fields of solar cells, biosensors, and catalysis.