Enhancement of the intensity of the short-wavelength visible photoluminescence from silicon-implanted silicon-dioxide films caused by hydrostatic pressure during annealing

Abstract

We have studied the influence of the hydrostatic pressure during annealing on the intensity of the visible photoluminescence (PL) from thermally grown SiO2 films irradiated with Si+ ions using double-energy implants at 100 and 200 keV and ion doses ranging from 1.2×1016 to 6.3×1016 cm−2. Postimplantation anneals have been carried out in an Ar ambient at temperatures Ta of 400 and 450 °C for 10 h at both atmospheric pressure and hydrostatic pressures of 0.1, 10, 12, and 15 kbar. It has been found that the intensity of the ultraviolet (∼360 nm), blue (∼460 nm), and red (∼600 nm) PL emission bands increases with raising hydrostatic pressure whereby the PL peaks retain their wavelength positions. The results obtained have been interpreted in terms of enhanced, pressure-mediated formation of ≡Si–Si≡ centers and small Si clusters within metastable regions of the ion-implanted SiO2.

Photoluminescence from Pressure — Annealed Nanostructured Silicon Dioxide and Nitride Films

“…Our results are "hot": they are the first obtained on the title subject. This paper contains mostly new results (only some of them were already published [5,6,8]). In spite of performed investigations, many problems need further investigation and many questions remain to be answered.…”

“…[9]) and the shift of this PL line to higher wavelength with treatment time (related to the growth of dimensions of the Si nanoclusters created at the mentioned interface). The rise of PL intensity with HP in the Si0 2 :Si/Si system can be related to stress stimulated creation of the -Si-Si-centres in the Si0 2 "bulk" [5]. Above explanation does not exclude, of course, other possible sources of HP -HT induced ultraviolet or visible PL: creation of"oxygen sufficient structures" [9] or of ODC [ 11].…”

“…The SiO 2 /Si, Si0 2 :Si/Si and Si 3 N 4 /Si samples were subjected to anneals for up to 10 h up to 1550 K under enhanced (up to 1.5 GPa) hydrostatic argon pressure, HP [4,5]. PL peaks observed at particular excitation wavelength were often accompanied by scattered radiation.…”

“…As it has been stated [3,4], enhanced pressure of ambient gas at annealing (HT -HP treatment) of oxygen containing Czochralski grown silicon, Cz-Si, and of Si -Ge solid solution exerts pronounced effect on oxygen and germanium diffusivity, clustering etc. It inspired our recent investigations of the HT -HP treatment effect on visible PL from silicon dioxide implanted by silicon, Si0 2 :Si [5,6]. Effects of the HT -HP treatment on creation of silicon nanoclusters, and on PL from the Si0 2 , Si0 2 :Si and Si 3 N 4 thin films grown (deposited) on single crystalline silicon are reported in this paper.…”

Phase separation in SiOx films annealed under enhanced hydrostatic pressure

“…For example, it is known that application of HP during the annealing of oxygen-containing Czochralski-grown silicon results in strongly enhanced precipitation of interstitial oxygen [16] and in the increased intensity of short wavelength PL in SiO x films prepared by Si + implantation into SiO 2 [17].…”